Bowlers’ bad day has Volts eliminated

Dion Ebrahim. Photo: Getty Images
Dion Ebrahim. Photo: Getty Images
Otago has been eliminated — convincingly.

The Volts were knocked out of the Ford Trophy by Canterbury in the elimination final in Queenstown yesterday.

The old enemy smashed 350 for eight.

The Volts managed 221.

Canterbury pair Chad Bowes and Leo Carter thumped hundreds. Cole McConchie drilled a rapid half-century.

That part was brutal.

Otago paceman Michael Rae had a good day on a tough day for bowlers, nabbing his second list A five-wicket bag.

But the chase turned pale. Three quick wickets will do that.

Veteran Volts opener Hamish Rutherford continued his resurgence with 50 from 56.

But the rebuild dawdled, faltered, then surged for a bit, but eventually collapsed.

Jake Gibson provided a blistering counterattack. His 59 off 39 further evidence the Volts have uncovered a talent.

Otago coach Dion Ebrahim was disappointed to have lost and lost so heavily. But he had been impressed by the way his side had improved.

"I’m extremely happy with the growth this season," he said.

"Obviously it is disappointing that we stumbled at the second-to-last hurdle in both white ball competitions. But at the start of the season [people] would have been surprised we were still in contention."

Otago had a decent season but this was Canterbury’s day. And the signs were there early.

Bowes pulled the first delivery of the match for four to remind the Volts how dangerous he can be.

The former South African under-19 player quickly got the better of Matt Bacon.

Rae had more success down the other end. He nicked out fellow opener Mitch Hay for a golden duck and removed Matt Boyle for six.

Bowes might have been cranking, but Canterbury had slumped to 34 for two.

Carter has been in good form this season and he joined Bowes in the middle.

It was the key partnership and one the Volts would have spent some time in the lead-up wondering how they could nullify it.

But the Volts were not able to build any pressure on the account Bowes kept finding the rope.

The 30-year-old right-hander punished anything full down the ground and favoured the sweep shot against Otago’s crew of spinners.

Not all of his swept shots were regulation. He pulled out the reverse twice in a row to bring up his hundred off 85 balls.

It was his seventh list A century and he breezed past his previous best of a 114 not out.

But that reverse swat let him down on 126. He missed and Michael Rippon rattled the ball into his pad to remove him lbw.

That brought an end to the third wicket stand which had grown to 162.

McConchie grabbed the spotlight following Bowe’s exit.

He whacked three sixes and two fours off Rippon’s ninth over. It was a monster 27-run over which really tipped the scales.

He brought up a 26-ball half-century in the next over when he lofted Glenn Phillips over extra cover for six.

He skied the next and was gone. It was a brief but damaging cameo.

Carter (104) was done playing second fiddle and started crashing sixes on his way to his maiden list A century.

Rae (five for 57) finished off like he started. He picked up three late wickets. Top effort on a day when the batters dominated.

Canterbury will play Central Districts in the final. Where and when is still to be confirmed.

CANTERBURY

C Bowes lbw Rippon 126

M Hay c G Phillips b Rae 0

M Boyle c Chu b Rae 6

L Carter c Chu b Rae 104

C McConchie c Rutherford b G Phillips 52

C Fletcher run out (Finnie/Bacon) 9

H Shipley b Rae 7

A McKenzie not out 34

B Coburn c Chu b Rae 0

W O’Rourke not out 1

Extras (3lb, 8w) 11

Total (8 wkts, 50 overs) 350

Fall: 1-9, 2-34, 3-196, 4-265, 5-302, 6-309, 7-338, 8-338.

Bowling: M Bacon 10-0-79-0 (5w), M Rae 10-1-57-5 (1w), J Gibson 4-0-21-0 (1w), B Lockrose 9-0-52-0, M Rippon 9-0-75-1, G Phillips 6-0-45-1 (1w), D Foxcroft 2-0-18-0.

OTAGO

H Rutherford c Boyle b Nuttall 50

M Chu b Shipley 0

D Foxcroft c Fletcher b O’Rourke 1

G Phillips c Carter b O’Rourke 7

M Rippon c Fletcher b O’Rourke 38

D Phillips b Coburn 14

J Gibson c Coburn b McConchie 59

J Finnie c Shipley b McConchie 7

B Lockrose c Hay b McConchie 13

M Bacon not out 10

M Rae c Hay b Nuttall 10

Extras (1b, 2lb, 9w) 12

Total (all out, 39 overs) 221

Fall: 1-1, 2-10, 3-19, 4-74, 5-111, 6-138, 7-145, 8-193, 9-204. 10-221.

Bowling: H Shipley 7-0-38-1 (1w), W O’Rourke 8-2-47-3 (4w), E Nuttall 7-1-32-2 (1w), A McKenzie 6-0-41-0 (3w), C McConchie 9-0-43-3, B Coburn 2-0-17-1.

Result: Canterbury won by 129 runs.

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