Cricket: Stags win nail-biting Twenty20 match

It was a little like watching a two-part TV drama on the edge of your seat but not knowing how it ended because of an untimely power failure.

If you were following the Central Districts Stags versus the Otago Volts Twenty20 match in New Plymouth on the New Zealand Cricket website last night then SportToday shares your frustration.

After skittling the Stags for 116 runs from 18 overs of the HRV Cup match at Pukekura Park, the defending champions proceeded to overhaul the target when the website froze at 73-6 in the 13th over.

It went back into Eskimo mode in the 19th over as Otago sat on 104, requiring 13 runs to win from six balls.

Enter SportToday to fill you in on the nail-biting drama if you haven't already heard about it from other sources.

With Black Cap Jacob Oram having done the damage with a five-wicket bag from his four overs, the foundation of stifling the Volts was laid.

With openers Michael Mason and Graham Napier and seamer Ewen Thompson also spent, the options were limited.

George Worker had gone for nine runs off his solitary over and Kieran Noema-Barnett (pictured) had bled 17 runs off his two overs.

Bringing in part-timer Mathew Sinclair must have crossed diligent skipper Jamie How's mind.

Spinner Worker, of Manawatu, wouldn't have been palatable because coach Dermot Reeve had talked about exploiting opposition spinners with the wind on the small venue after CD batsmen gave Wellington and Caps spinner Jeetan Patel some stick last Sunday.

Instead, How chucked the spittle-shone ball to Noema-Barnett. The ex-Otago allrounder did the job ... only just as CD pipped the Volts by one run.

Needless to say, it was the first time the Napier Old Boys' Marist player was bowling at the death. It didn't help that a rampant No 6 Ian Butler was at the crease with rabbit Wayne McSkimming.

``When I looked up at the scoreboard [with all the other key bowlers spent] I was sort of expecting it [the ball],' the medium pace right-armer told SportToday last night after finishing wicket-less for 27 runs off three overs.

After going for two singles off his first two balls, Butler sent his next delivery into orbit for a lusty six at long on. The last last over read: 1-1-6-1-1-1 (bye).

So did Butler's six rock Noema-Barnett's confidence a wee bit?

``Obviously I was a little bit disappointed but I put my head up and thought, 'Let it go, just believe in yourself now'.

``That's all you can do and I knew the boys were all behind me,' he said, hailing the other bowlers for doing a sterling job to lay down the foundation for the two-from-two victories for the Stags this season.

Noema-Barnett, who moved with his family to Hawke's Bay two seasons ago, knows most of his former Otago teammates well but doesn't feel it's an issue any more.

``It's all behind me now because I'm a CD Stag.'

CD's batting last night left a little to be desired as it was a far cry from their 208 at the same park on Sunday to keep the Firebirds at Bay.

Bar Black Caps batsman Ross Taylor's 40, How's 18 and Sinclair's dozen, the rest of the willow whackers looked like figures of a cellphone number.

``Ruscoe's 40 off 20 balls was good to watch on a dry wicket where 160 would have been a par score,' Reeve said, lamenting the poor batting display from his troops.

With low clouds, CD opted to bat first as Otago grappled with poor visibility in the second innings after a 5pm start.

He singled out Sinclair for his three catches, especially the big one of Caps opening slog man Brendon McCullum at backward point for eight runs.

A laughing Reeve believed he put the hex on Oram when the Stags went out to field.

``Jake was wonderful today. I did a disservice to him, actually. As he walked out, I said to him, 'I want three for 12 from you', and to Graham Napier I said, 'I want five for 15 from you',' said Reeve, admiring the fighting display from his troops who lapped up the raucous support from a compact but vociferous crowd at the park.

``It's nice to win the close ones. We're the only side with two from two but there are eight more games left to play,' he said as they prepare to host the Northern Districts Knights there tomorrow night.

NZH