Match Report: The Ford Trophy 3rd Round – Canterbury vs. Auckland Aces

Date: December 3rd

Venue: Hagley Oval

Toss: Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat

Innings 1: Canterbury

Canterbury won the toss and opted to bat first at Hagley Oval in the 3rd round of The Ford Trophy against the Auckland Aces. Opening with Chad Bowes and Matt Boyle, Canterbury got off to a strong start. However, Auckland’s formidable bowling attack managed to take a few early wickets to put pressure on the batting side.

Chad Bowes, despite the wickets falling around him, reached a personal milestone by scoring his 3000th List A run. As the innings progressed, Captain Cole McConchie and Michael Rippon formed a solid partnership, each contributing with a half-century. Rippon, playing in his 100th List A game, emerged as the top scorer with 67 runs off 68 balls. Canterbury finished their innings with a total score of 250/7.

Innings 2: Auckland Aces

Chasing a target of 251, Auckland Aces faced a determined Canterbury side looking to apply pressure with both bat and ball. Captain Cole McConchie led the bowling attack effectively, grabbing two crucial wickets over the innings. Michael Rae, making his List A debut for Canterbury, showcased his experience by adding pressure and securing a wicket of his own with an impressive economy rate of 4.20 runs per over.

Angus Mckenzie also contributed with an economical performance, maintaining a tight economy rate of 2.50 runs per over. Despite the efforts of the Canterbury bowlers, Auckland’s strong batting lineup managed to chase down the target in the 49th over.

Auckland’s victory was highlighted by their batsmen’s resilience and composure under pressure. The Canterbury bowlers fought hard, but the Auckland Aces ultimately secured the win in a closely contested match at Hagley Oval.