Devcich and Northern Districts crush Wellington
A round-up of the Georgie Pie Super Smash matches played on November 12, 2015
ESPNcricinfo staff
12-Nov-2015
File photo: Anton Devcich struck a rapid half-century and also chipped in with two wickets as Northern Districts hammered Wellington by 112 runs • AFP
Anton Devcich and Ish Sodhi were the chief architects of Northern Districts' 112-run thumping of Wellington in their Georgie Pie Super Smash clash in Hamilton. The margin of victory indicates one-way traffic and it was with Northern Districts posting 184 for 4 and then bowling Wellington out for 72 in 13.1 overs to register their first win in the competition.
Northern Districts, who were sent in to bat, were driven by Devcich, who made a 57-ball 66 at the top of the order. Kevin O'Brien, the Ireland allrounder, hit two fours and four sixes in his 21-ball 42 as a formidable launchpad was built. Devcich and O'Brien carved 70 runs off 40 balls and took Northern Districts to an imposing total. Amid the carnage, offspinner Jeetan Patel was the most economical bowler, finishing with 1 for 16 off his four overs.
Wellington's chase was punctured inside four overs; there was no coming back from a score of 13 for 4. Devcich opened the bowling as well and took 2 for 17. Scott Kuggeleijn, who shared the new ball, treated himself to a spell of 3.1-1-8-1 while legspinner Sodhi ran through the tail to take 3 for 12. Matt Taylor, who top-scored with 28, was only one of two batsmen who could reach double-figures and Wellington's 72 was the lowest total by any side against Northern Districts, breaking the previous record of 85 by Otago in 2006-07.
Jacob Duffy's career best 5 for 18 and Michael Bracewell's unbeaten 80 set up Otago's nine-wicket drubbing of Canterbury in Christchurch.
After electing to bat, Canterbury were reduced to 28 for 5 by the fifth over of their innings. Henry Nicholls then took control of the innings, with a 41-ball 51 and received a good hand from Todd Astle, with whom he put on 73 runs for the fifth wicket. Duffy accounted for Nicholls in the 17th over and cleaned up Canterbury's lower-order, eventually bowling them out for 134 in 20 overs.
In response, Otago lost Anaru Kitchen in their first over, but Bracewell ensured the chase went off without a hitch, smacking an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls that included ten fours and two sixes. He had Neil Broom's (42*) company during a 133-run partnership that sealed the game and put their team on top of the points table.
