Central Districts take the win and set up third final tomorrow

Canterbury was forced to a third final tomorrow in its bid to retain the Shell Cup this summer after Central Districts took a 45-run win off it tonight at Jade Stadium in Christchurch.

In only the second year of the best-of-three format, CD became the first side to beat Canterbury, and it did so in memorable fashion.

Canterbury's effort in chasing 174 to win was a calamity.

Glen Sulzberger, who earlier this summer was despatched to Africa as a replacement player for the CLEAR Black Caps, was the star turn of the evening with bat, ball and in the field.

CD coach Dipak Patel was full of praise for him.

"His effort was outstanding. He did the inspirational things you look for in a game like this. He put his hand up tonight," he said.

CD could thank its last partnership for its success. Sulzberger and No 11 batsman Brent Hefford added 49 unlikely runs. Sulzberger was the last man out, in the penultimate over, when caught from Astle's bowling for 43. Hefford's effort resulted in 16 not out.

"When I went out there were still half the overs left and when Heff came out there were still 15 overs left. I wanted to bat as long as I could and to face as many balls as possible," Sulzberger said.

"While there were times when I turned down runs, I knew that if we stayed there we could afford not to take those runs.

"Luckily we hit a few boundaries towards the end.

"We were talking all the time. I was mainly impressing on him that he couldn't get out then as he got his confidence he was much happier about facing more of the bowling.

"It just goes to show what you can do when you do the small things right," he said.

Sulzberger said the side's batting has been a little bit of a worry this season but the players knew that if they had scored the runs in the first game they could have been 2-0 up and holding the Shell Cup already.

He rated picking up Doody's wicket with his first ball a highlight because it put pressure on the other batsmen.

"There was always the Chris Harris factor. He was in a position where he had to be there at the end, and that put pressure on the other batsmen as well. Things worked in our favour and I picked up three. That's the first time I've got three in a Cup game so it was nice to get them in a final.

"The most pleasing thing was the whole team fought right to the end. We didn't give it away."

It was a case of the shoe being on the other foot from the first final in Napier. On that occasion CD was left lamenting its chance when chasing and missing out by 13 runs. Canterbury produced a superb bowling and fielding effort in defence of its total then.

CD repeated the dose tonight and could claim to have done it even better.

However, Canterbury would have due cause to debate the dismissal of wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins. CD bowler Andrew Schwass was certain he had Hopkins edging a catch to wicket-keeper Bevan Griggs.

Griggs seemed to have to think about it before joining the appeal. Umpire Billy Bowden shook his head as if dismissing the appeal. Schwass was disappointed to have the appeal declined and then looked up again to see Bowden with his finger crooked and the batsman given out.

Brad Doody looked as if he was going to play the big innings Canterbury needed to assure itself of the win. He played with a confidence none of the other batsmen managed, much in the same way that Ben Smith showed for CD while scoring 35.

However, he succumbed to Sulzberger's first ball of the innings. He was caught at the wicket by Griggs standing up.

Earlier, Nathan Astle was out for a duck, a score repeated by fellow CLEAR Black Cap Craig McMillan, although McMillan was out to the first ball he faced.

Canterbury tempted the fate often suffered by those who change their batting order around. Stephen Cunis, who came in at No 3, did what was required of him by scoring 24 by chancing his arm. He gave the momentum to the innings that was required, but the work was undone immediately with McMillan's dismissal.

Gary Stead, who can usually be relied upon to graft his way out of trouble, was out for two when turning a ball from Brent Hefford to square leg where Smith took it with delight.

Again it was Chris Harris who refused to follow the trend and who kept the hopes of a good-sized crowd alive.

Earlier, Stephen Cunis unleashed an inspired spell of bowling to pick up the wickets of Mathew Sinclair for 19, Smith and Jacob Oram for one. His nine overs resulted in 3-26.

Patel felt the side could win the game even with their low score.

"At the tea break Jacob [Oram-captain] came up to me and said he thought 180 would have been a good total.

"So we knew that if we bowled as well as we have in our earlier games, and got some early wickets, we could do it," he said.

What was especially pleasing was the fact the side had shown great patience, especially when Chris Harris was looking as if he might do the job and drag Canterbury back up.

"The captaincy of Jacob Oram was tremendous under the pressure," Patel said.

The side had not bowed to all the media talk which installed CD as the underdog, a situation which would leave it vulnerable on Jade Stadium and in front of a parochial Canterbury crowd.

"The guys showed the character required to be competitive at this level.

"We out-played them today," Patel said.