Auckland keep finals chances alive

A blinding seven-ball assault by Donovan Grobbelaar helped Auckland steal a win from Canterbury in Rangiora and keep their chances to qualify for the finals alive. 25 runs were required off the last 11 balls when Colin de Grandhomme, who scored 36 off 23, was out. But Grobbelaar smashed two sixes and three fours to complete the chase with three balls to spare.

Auckland now need to beat Central Districts in their last league match to move up to No. 3 on the table and set up a clash with Wellington in the qualifier for the final.

Canterbury, who needed to win the match too, chose to bat and a frenetic 78-run stand for the third wicket between George Worker and Andrew Ellis set the platform for a tall total. Worker stayed unbeaten on 89 as Canterbury racked up 182. In response, Auckland stayed up with the rate but had lost four wickets by the 11th over. But Craig Cachopa and de Grandhomme brought Auckland close to finish line with a half-century stand, before Grobelaar applied the finishing touch.

After slim pickings in the last two matches, Jesse Ryder hit another half-century - his fifth in this year's HRV Cup - in Wellington's nine run win against Northern Districts at the Basin Reserve. It was one of Ryder's slower innings as he took 65 balls for his unbeaten 85, but along with captain Michael Papps (65* off 42 balls), it frustrated the Northern Districts bowlers as the two put up 142 runs together in an unbeaten stand.

Northern Districts, who needed to win to move to safety in the table, were on track to chase down the total quick contributions from James Foster and James Marshall. Sixteen runs were required off the last over, but Theo Doropoulos, who picked up three wickets, gave away only six to take Wellington to the second spot on the table.

Northern Districts, who have 20 points, now need to hope that Auckland lose their last match against Central Districts for them to move to the knockout stage.

An all-round performance by Central Districts captain Kieran Noema-Barnett failed to stop table-toppers Otago from sneaking in yet another win in this year's tournament. It was Otago's eighth win out of nine matches, but it didn't come easy.

Otago were seven down on 130 chasing 164 and with 23 balls remaining, Central Districts appeared to have an upper hand. But Ian Butler smashed three sixes in his 17-ball 32 to help Otago stretch their lead at the top of the table.

Despite Noema-Barnett's two crucial wickets in three balls and his sixes-laden 47, Central Districts crashed to their seventh loss in the tournament.