Auckland nabbed a 69-run win against the Otago Volts in Auckland last night.
Auckland opened with the bat and powered through to 197 for six.
Captain Sean Solia made a rapid start, whipping 24 off just 10 balls.
He looked to be the danger man, but Otago seamer Andrew Hazeldine bowled him in the third over.
Hazeldine snapped up the wicket of Simon Keene in his next over to put Auckland at 46 for two.
Auckland wrapped up the power play at 61 for two.
Black Cap Mark Chapman was blistering.
He dealt in boundaries and banged a mammoth six to bring up his half-century in the 12th over.
Chapman launched another six and then went for a ramp shot, but chopped it on, finishing a superb innings of 68 from just 40 balls and forming a 98-run partnership with BJ Jacobs.
Jacobs started to wind up as well, cracking some monster boundaries.
But Jacobs skied a shot and wicketkeeper Max Chu was under it to end his innings on 37.
Llew Johnson pounced with a direct hit to run out Will O'Donnell in the 18th over and took a low screamer at point the following over.
Auckland lost four late wickets, but they pulled through to finish on 197 for six.
In reply, Otago opener Jamal Todd banked 14 runs off the opening over.
He was caught by Angus Olliver in the third over and the Volts were 23 for one.
But Dale Phillips picked up where Todd left off. He clubbed a six and then was put down by Danuru Ferns the following ball.
Phillips cracked two more boundaries from the following over and he and Johnson were quick between the wickets.
They made a great partnership, adding 52 runs before Phillips was caught behind for 40 of 26 balls.
Brother and Black Cap Glenn Phillips came to the crease and took little time to settle.
He smacked 21 runs off 14 balls, but hit the last delivery straight to Keene.
New batter Dean Foxcroft was bowled for a duck and Otago were 108 for four.
Johnson, who has been key in Otago's innings, was then removed in the 13 over.
Otago lost eight wickets for 21 runs in the middle, which turned the game in Auckland's favour.
Otago were all out for 128 runs.
Spinner Adi Ashok finished with figures of three for 22.
Otago, who are still second on the table, are away to Northern tomorrow in their final round robin super Smash game.
AUCKLAND
S Solia b Hazeldine 24
S Keene c D Phillips b Hazeldine 9
M Chapman b Lockrose 68
B Jacobs c Chu b Bacon 37
W O’Donnell run out Johnson 12
C Fletcher c Johnson b Georgeson 12
J McKenzie not out 13
L Stackpole not out 13
Extras (1lb, 8w) 9
Total (for 6 wkts in 20 overs) 197
Fall: 1-35, 2-46, 3-144, 4-150, 5-164, 6-174
Bowling: B Lockrose 4-0-44-1 (1w), J Duffy 4-0-38-0, A
Hazeldine 4-0-19-2 (1w), L Georgeson 4-0-29-1 ,G Phillips
1-0-14-0, M Bacon 4-0-34-1 (2w), D Foxcroft 1-0-18-0.
OTAGO
D Phillips c Fletcher b Ashok 40
J Todd c Olliver b Keene 16
L Johnson c Stackpole b Olliver 32
G Phillips c Keene b McKenzie 21
D Foxcroft b Ashok 0
M Chu c McKenzie b O’Donnell 3
L Georgeson c & b 3
B Lockrose c McKenzie b Ferns 10
A Hazeldine c Fletcher b Ashok 0
J Duffy not out 1
M Bacon c Keene b Ferns 0
Extras (2w) 2
Total (for 10 wkts in 16.2 overs) 128
Fall: 1-23, 2-75, 3-107, 4-108, 5-112, 6-114, 7-125,
8-126, 9-128, 10-128.
Bowling: W O’Donnell 2-0-17-1, D Ferns 2.2-0-16-2, S
Keene 3-0-28-1 (1w), A Olliver 3-0-23-1 (1w), J McKenzie
2-0-22-1, A Ashok 4-0-22-3.
Result: Auckland won by 69 runs
