Hello and welcome to the University Oval in Dunedin for the Final of the 2012/13 HRV Cup. The Otago Volts have the home advantage courtesy of their nine wins from 10 round robin matches.

Meanwhile, the Wellington Firebirds confirmed their presence in the final thanks to a comfortable 23 run win over the defending champions the Auckland Aces in the semi final on Friday.

Michael Papps called correctly for the Firebirds and they have decided to take first use of the pitch and bat. Groundsman Tom Tamati has assured the Otago Cricket Association administartors that there is a 0% chance of rain and lets hope his prediction is correct.

The last time the Volts made the domestic T20 final the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled and they gained automatic entry into the Champions League in 2009.

Teams - The Volts are without Brett Lee today who was present for their last match against the Canterbury Wizards and was at the crease when the winnings runs were struck from the final ball of the match. Instead they have Cape Town born, Auckland educated, Gloucestershire bowling all rounder James Fuller to call upon as their overseas player along with the in-form former Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate who was also born in the Cape Province.

ten Doeschate is their standout performer in the campaign to date with 380 runs @ 54.28 and a strike rate of 153 to go with 4 wickets at an economy rate of 7.92. Opening batsman Hamish Rutherford has also had a season to remember with 300 runs at a strike rate of 142. The Volts bowlers have held the secret to their success with three players taking ten wickets or more - the left-arm spin of Nick Beard has produced 13 wickets @ an RPO of just 6.35, right-arm quick Jacob Duffy has 13 @ an economy rate of 7.77 and former New Zealand international Ian Butler has nabbed 10 @ 7.54 an over.

0.1

Duffy to Ryder, FOUR, pitched up and Ryder shows no respect and crunches it through the covers. What a statement to start with!

0.2

Duffy to Ryder, no run, better channel closer to off stump and Ryder pushes into the off side

0.3

Duffy to Ryder, SIX, shorter from Duffy and Ryder already looks like a man possessed and pulls it high over mid wicket for a maximum to the long boundary

0.4

Duffy to Ryder, no run, back of a length and carved to point off the middle of the blade

0.5

Duffy to Ryder, SIX, a good length again from Duffy but Ryder is in sublime touch and he sits back and heaves it over square leg for six more!

0.6

Duffy to Ryder, 1 leg bye, and at last Duffy pitches up and we see some swing. It cramps Ryder for room, takes him on the pad and rolls to short fine leg

1.1

Fuller to Ryder, 1 wide, and Fuller delivers a full toss straight towards where first slip would be. Bizarre start from the Gloucester pro

1.1

Fuller to Ryder, 1 leg bye, fuller and pitches outside leg stump. Takes Ryder on the pad and they get another leg bye

1.2

Fuller to Pollard, OUT, Fuller delivers a half volley wide of the off stick and Pollard drives off the outside edge to Neil Broom at point. Good catch low down

MA Pollard c Broom b Fuller 0 (5m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

1.3

Fuller to Papps, no run, yorker length wide of the off stump and Papps plays and misses. We see a little bit of shape away from the right hander there

1.4

Fuller to Papps, no run, half volley on leg stump and Papps drives to Beard who moves quickly to field well at mid wicket

1.5

Fuller to Papps, 1 wide, quick bouncer from Fuller and it's deemed too short and called wide

1.5

Fuller to Papps, no run, back of a length and at the body and Papps plays watchfully into the off side

1.6

Fuller to Papps, OUT, another bouncer but short enough to pull this time and Papps skies it high into the air and Duffy moves around from short fine leg to backward square to complete the catch and Fuller's first ball proves an abberration!

MHW Papps c Duffy b Fuller 0 (3m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

2.1

Duffy to Borgas, no run, great channel outside off stump and Borgas is stuck on the crease and leaves it alone

2.2

Duffy to Borgas, no run, good pace and bounce for Duffy who looks a different bowler bowling to Borgas. Left alone outside the off stump

2.3

Duffy to Borgas, no run, another quality delivery from Duffy squares Borgas up as it leaves him off the wicket and through to de Boorder

2.4

Duffy to Borgas, OUT, Borgas tries to give himself room this time and cuts but he can only edge it through to de Boorder and the Volts are jubilant!

CJ Borgas c †de Boorder b Duffy 0 (2m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

2.5

Duffy to Ronchi, 1 run, back of a length again and Ronchi plays late and neatly down to third man

2.6

Duffy to Ryder, SIX, same length as those which beat Borgas but Ryder is in a different league today and he whips it over fine leg and into the main stand for his third six in just eight balls!

3.1

Fuller to Ronchi, 1 run, bangs it into the deck and there's a hint of seam back into the right hander and Ronchi plays with both feet in the air to third man

3.2

Fuller to Ryder, no run, a fraction slower and fuller and Ryder tries to club it over the leg side but he gets an inside edge onto his front pad. Ryder's first mis-hit of the day

3.3

Fuller to Ryder, 1 run, full on leg stump and Ryder plays to square

3.4

Fuller to Ronchi, no run, yorker length shapes away from Ronchi but he plays it nicely towards mid on

3.5

Fuller to Ronchi, FOUR, bouncer and Ronchi jumps and ramps it over third man for a boundary which bounces just in front of the rope

3.6

Fuller to Ronchi, 1 run, angled into the pads and he whips it out to deep square leg

A change of pace sees Ryan ten Doeschate into the attack possibly to see how Ryder appraoches it

4.1

ten Doeschate to Ronchi, no run, good length played to mid on

4.2

ten Doeschate to Ronchi, 1 run, wide of off stump and Ronchi plays a square drive off the outside edge to third man

4.3

ten Doeschate to Ryder, no run, slower ball played down the ground

4.4

ten Doeschate to Ryder, SIX, another slower ball is full on middle and Ryder goes down on one knee and sweeps over mid wicket fox another half dozen

4.5

ten Doeschate to Ryder, no run, better length this time and Ryder plays to mid wicket

4.6

ten Doeschate to Ryder, 1 run, wide half volley and Ryder lays into it a drives in the air just short of Ian Butler at mid off, it takes him low on the leg and runs away but they only get one

5.1

Butler to Ryder, OUT, good length outside off stump to start from Butler and Jesse tries to hammer it over the off side but he gets under it and Bracewell moves back at mid off to take the catch and effectively change the entire course of the match

JD Ryder c Bracewell b Butler 30 (23m 15b 1x4 4x6) SR: 200.00

5.2

Butler to Ronchi, FOUR, low full toss hammered through the covers. A mis-field at cover allows that boundary

5.3

Butler to Ronchi, 1 run, good length into the deck and outside the line of off stump and Ronchi guides to third man

5.4

Butler to Doropoulos, no run, back of a length at the body and Doropoulos pushes into the leg side

5.5

Butler to Doropoulos, no run, short of a length and pulled to mid on. Butlet extends the follow through there to have a few words with the new man. Nothing like a good contest!

5.6

Butler to Doropoulos, FOUR, Doropoulos responds perfectly to Butler's words by cutting powerfully through point for four

6.1

Beard to Ronchi, 1 run, in towards off stump and Ronchi plays with soft hands to point

6.2

Beard to Doropoulos, no run, full on middle and leg stumps and Theo plays and misses, it takes him on the front pad and is given not out. That looked out...

6.3

Beard to Doropoulos, 1 run, angled into leg stump and worked through mid wicket

6.4

Beard to Ronchi, OUT, angled into the leg stump again, Ronchi sweeps off the top edge and out to Fuller on the deep backward square fence. The Volts are on fire here at University Oval!

L Ronchi c Fuller b Beard 14 (18m 11b 2x4 0x6) SR: 127.27

6.5

Beard to Boam, 1 run, nicely flighted and driven to deep mid wicket. Good start for the Karori clubman

6.6

Beard to Doropoulos, OUT, tossed up a fraction quicker and Doropoulos is beaten for pace it seems as it takes his front pad and then goes back onto the middle stump

TP Doropoulos b Beard 5 (9m 6b 1x4 0x6) SR: 83.33

A massive patch-up job to do for Boam and Woodcock although there probably aren't two more appropriate men for the job

7.1

Butler to Boam, no run, full and driven to mid on. Beautiful full face of the blade there from Boam

7.2

Butler to Boam, no run, brings Boam forward and he defends into the off side

7.3

Butler to Boam, no run, good length on off stump and Boam falls across to the off side and plays to mid wicket

7.4

Butler to Boam, 1 run, fuller ball and driven neatly towards mid off and he takes the man on and gets home safely despite the ball missing the stumps

7.5

Butler to Woodcock, 1 run, back of a length and punched through the off side off the back foot to deep point

7.6

Butler to Boam, 1 run, Butler hits the deck hard and forces Boam back but he plays with softs hands towards the gully region for an easy single

8.1

Beard to Boam, 1 run, brings Boam forward and he pushes into the off side

8.2

Beard to Woodcock, 1 run, loses his line and angles down leg but Woodcock catches up with it and gets a single to short fine leg

8.3

Beard to Boam, 1 run, fullish length and Boam goes back and punches to long on

8.4

Beard to Woodcock, 1 run, tossed up on off stump and he plays nicely to long off. Beard is busy trying to save the single but he can't get there

8.5

Beard to Boam, no run, slower this time and there's not enough pace on the ball for Boam to get one into the off side

8.6

Beard to Boam, no run, angled into the leg stump and Boam misses and it takes him on the pad and the ball rolls back along the pitch

Right arm off spinner Mark 'Pidgy' Craig comes into the attack

9.1

Craig to Woodcock, 1 run, tossed up with nice flight and driven to long off

9.2

Craig to Boam, 1 run, slightly quicker on middle stump from around the wicket and Boam closes the face and plays to short fine leg for one

9.3

Craig to Woodcock, 1 run, angled into the pads and Woodcock works it to long on

9.4

Craig to Boam, 1 run, good length on middle stump and Boam whips it through square leg along the ground

9.5

Craig to Woodcock, no run, full length on middle and off and Woodcock plays to cover

9.6

Craig to Woodcock, 1 run, full again and driven towards Broom at cover but he's back on the edge of the ring being the last ball of the over and they have enough time to complete the single

10.1

Beard to Woodcock, 1 run, around the wicket to the left hander now and Woodcock plays to short fine leg

10.2

Beard to Boam, no run, good length on middle and Boam plays back to the bowler

10.3

Beard to Boam, 1 run, arm ball drifts into leg stump and he clips it out to deep square leg

10.4

Beard to Woodcock, 1 run, worked through the leg side to deep mid wicket

10.5

Beard to Boam, no run, much slower and Boam is forward and defending

10.6

Beard to Boam, 1 run, half volley driven to long off

11.1

Craig to Boam, 1 run, nicely flighted from around the wicket and driven powerfully to long on

11.2

Craig to Woodcock, FOUR, slower through the air and just a fraction short from Craig and Woodcock cuts with perfect placement backward of point for four

11.3

Craig to Woodcock, FOUR, quicker on a good length but Woodcock hangs deep in the crease and uses the pace to cut between the two men behind point for four more

11.4

Craig to Woodcock, 1 run, as expected, this one is fuller and and driven to long off

11.5

Craig to Boam, no run, Craig does Boam with the flight this time and he can only play to mid wicket

11.6

Craig to Boam, 1 run, fuller again and driven to long on. Good over for the visitors despite Craig delivering a useful half dozen

12.1

Beard to Boam, no run, speared in at middle stump and defended into the off side

12.2

Beard to Boam, no run, tossed up and driven back at the bowler. It's a bump ball but de Boorder appeals

12.3

Beard to Boam, no run, angled into the pads and Boam can't get bat on it

12.4

Beard to Boam, 1 run, drifts into leg stick and played to deep square leg

12.5

Beard to Woodcock, 1 run, worked into the leg side and they push hard but don't have time for two

12.6

Beard to Boam, no run, back of a length and Boam can only play the ball back at the bowler. The batsman looks frustrated here

That is a superb spell of bowling completed by the left arm spinner. Two for 13 off four overs. In a final, that is outstanding!

13.1

Butler to Woodcock, no run, slower ball and Woody comes down the track and gets a leading edge into the off side

13.2

Butler to Woodcock, 1 run, wide half volley is cracked to long off

13.3

Butler to Boam, 2 runs, yorker length on leg stump and Boam whips it off his pads to backward square leg where Redmond does amazingly well to save four. He loses his trousers and the crowd love it!

13.4

Butler to Boam, 1 run, slower ball defended to backward point

13.5

Butler to Woodcock, 1 run, defended into the off side for a quick single

13.6

Butler to Boam, 1 leg bye, yorker length on leg stump and it takes Boam on the boot and loops into the leg side

14.1

ten Doeschate to Boam, 1 run, slower ball is short and Boam chips it up into the air at mid wicket but there's no fielder inside the circle there to collect

14.2

ten Doeschate to Woodcock, 1 wide, slower ball is wide down the leg side

14.2

ten Doeschate to Woodcock, 1 run, full and wide of off stump and it's carved out to point

14.3

ten Doeschate to Boam, 1 run, back of a length and worked out to mid wicket on the fence

14.4

ten Doeschate to Woodcock, 1 run, slower ball is short and Woody pulls int the air to long on

14.5

ten Doeschate to Boam, 1 run, low full toss whipped out to deep backward square leg

14.6

ten Doeschate to Woodcock, 1 run, back of a length and pulled out to deep mid wicket

15.1

Butler to Woodcock, 1 run, slower ball pushed backward of square on the off side

15.2

Butler to Boam, FOUR, slower ball is mis-directed well down the leg side and Boam goes down on one knee and sweeps back short fine leg for his first boundary

15.3

Butler to Boam, 1 run, knee high full toss driven to long on

15.4

Butler to Woodcock, no run, yorker length and Woodcock is back in his crease and hitting the ball off the middle of the bat into the ground and it carries to point. That was a crowd catch

15.5

Butler to Woodcock, 1 run, goes for the yorker again and driven at ten Doeschate at cover and they steal a quick single. The throw missed and it would have been tight

15.6

Butler to Boam, 2 runs, angled into the pads and Boam hits it out of the middle of the bat to deep forward square leg where Redmond mis-fields and they get a couple

Fifty partnership for these two who have done a fantastic repair job. The Firebirds probably need another 40 runs from the last four overs to be competitive.

16.1

Duffy to Woodcock, FOUR, half volley well outside off and Woody reaches for it and crunces it through extra cover to beat the cover sweeper for four despite a dive by the man out there

16.2

Duffy to Woodcock, 1 run, yorker length dug out to long on

The average score batting first here is 186 which indicates the Firebirds need plenty more!

16.3

Duffy to Boam, SIX, half volley on middle stump and clipped out to deep forward square leg where Fuller jumps high into the air but it's too high for him and Boam takes six

16.4

Duffy to Boam, 1 run, worked into the leg side

16.5

Duffy to Woodcock, 1 run, low full toss driven to long off. They run hard but can't get a second

16.6

Duffy to Boam, 1 run, full and Boam plays nicely through point to the man on the rope

17.1

Fuller to Boam, 1 leg bye, slower ball is short and Boam misses out and it takes him on the pad

17.2

Fuller to Woodcock, 1 run, back of a length slower ball is cut to cover where the fielder allows for the easy single

17.3

Fuller to Boam, 1 wide, low full toss is wide down the leg side and called so by umpire Gaffaney

17.3

Fuller to Boam, 1 run, yorker length dug out towards mid on

17.4

Fuller to Woodcock, 1 run, slower ball clubbed off the bottom of the bat to long off

17.5

Fuller to Boam, 1 wide, another quick bumper from Fuller but it's just too short

17.5

Fuller to Boam, no run, short off-speed delivery and Boam misses it out he tries to pull it over the leg side. Well disguised by Fuller

17.6

Fuller to Boam, 1 run, fuller this time and Boam drives to long on off the middle of the bat

18.1

Duffy to Boam, OUT, low full toss is smacked hard out to long on where Mark Craig uses his big mits to complete the catch low down just off the turf

HKP Boam c Craig b Duffy 35 (45m 41b 1x4 1x6) SR: 85.36

18.2

Duffy to Woodcock, 1 run, slower ball is back of a length and Woody pushes into the off side

18.3

Duffy to Kuggeleijn, 1 run, DROPPED! Bouncer from Duffy has Kuggeleijn slogging the ball straight up into the air and the bowler gets under it but puts it down!

18.4

Duffy to Woodcock, 1 run, slower ball cut off the bottom of the bat into the off side

18.5

Duffy to Kuggeleijn, 1 run, yorker length and the Koog does well to dig it out to mid wicket

18.6

Duffy to Woodcock, FOUR, full outside off and Woody does well to get under it and get it over cover for four. Well played!

19.1

Fuller to Kuggeleijn, 2 runs, slower ball is well directed and yorks the batsman and he digs it out into the leg side and they get two

19.2

Fuller to Kuggeleijn, OUT, another slower ball and the Koog gets underneath it and gets it high into the leg side but Redmond gets safely under it and takes the catch

SC Kuggeleijn c Redmond b Fuller 4 (5m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

19.3

Fuller to Woodcock, 1 run, another off-speed delivery and Woody pulls through the leg side for one to the square leg boundary rider

19.4

Fuller to Houghton, FOUR, short ball is pulled off the top edge and over the short third man fieldsman for a much needed boundary

19.5

Fuller to Houghton, 2 runs, slower ball bumper is carved over cover for a couple

19.6

Fuller to Houghton, OUT, perfect yorker goes under Houghton's bat as he looked to finish the innings with a boundary and it cannons into off stump

MV Houghton b Fuller 6 (3m 3b 1x4 0x6) SR: 200.00

A good effort in the end by the Firebirds to post a competitive total. Woodcock ends on an unbeaten 40 and Boam's contribution was similarly vital despite scoring at less than a run a ball. Join me again in 15 minutes to see if the Firebirds fightback will be enough or whether this will be the Volts day. James Fuller ends up taking figures of four for 24 while Nick Beard's performance with his left arm over-spinners was outstanding. Match State: Innings Break