THE PRESS, Christchurch Tuesday, January 10, 2012 SPORT B7 CRICKET IN BRIEF INBRIEF Big Bash dash Canty ❯❯ Black Cap Nathan McCullum will make a dash across the Stewart’s Wizards place at risk ditch to play in the Australian Big Bash Twenty20 primed tournament today. The Otago Matt Richens off-spinning all-rounder McCullum will appear for the Reece Young’s spot in the Sydney Sixers in their match for final Canterbury Wizards’ Twen- against the Adelaide Strikers ty20 team is safe but Shanan at the Adelaide Oval today, Matt Richens Stewart could find himself on before returning home to be drinks duty for the remainder available for the rest of The Canterbury Magicians of the competition. Otago’s HRV Cup Twenty20 finished the women’s dom- Teenage wicketkeeper- campaign, including the two estic Twenty20 cricket compe- batsman Tom Latham scored must-win matches against tition unbeaten and will be an impressive 53 on debut for Canterbury and Auckland at hot favourites for this the Wizards in their four- Dunedin’s University Oval on Sunday’s final against the wicket win over Central Friday and Sunday, Auckland Hearts. Districts on Sunday and respectively. McCullum’s The Hearts needed to beat coach Bob Carter said younger brother and Otago the Northern Districts Spirit although he was likely to stay team-mate Brendon has in Hamilton to confirm their in the team, Latham would played three matches for the place in Sunday’s final and notbegiventheglovesatthe Brisbane Heat in the same their four-wicket victory saw expense of Young, who has competition. them through. been batting at No 10. Canterbury crushed the That means former Black Sox to cleaners Otago Sparks at Redwood Cap Stewart, who was 12th Park by eight wickets and will man on Sunday, could ❯❯ White Sox softball coach go into the final with momen- struggle to get back in the side Naomi Shaw is trying to tum, form and the home for the Wizards’ last three remain positive despite her advantage. games of the season and a side being whitewashed by Otago skipper Katey possible final. their Australian counterparts Martin was the Sparks’ best Carter said Latham had in Canberra at the weekend. and the White Fern scored done exactly what was asked New Zealand were beaten 9-1 more than half her team’s of him on Sunday and said it in their first game on Saturday runs. would be tough to drop him and then 11-4 and 8-0 on She scored 44 – 34 more after a match-winning per- Sunday, completing a dreadful than the next best – out of her formance on debut. weekend with an aggregate team’s 85. With Young batting at score of 28-5. ‘‘We’ve achieved Kelly Anderson took 3-20 No 10 and averaging just 9.26 a lot from the series and have from three overs to be the in the shortest form of the gathered a lot of information,’’ Magicians’ best with the ball game, there was an argument Shaw said. The series, and the while Frankie Mackay, to give Latham the gloves and Edebone-Weber Shield Rachel Candy and Erin Ber- bring Stewart in to strengthen competition, which involves mingham took two wickets the middle order but Carter the Australian state sides and apiece. said that was something he saw the White Sox win just Mackay was then the top would not consider. two of their 16 games, is part scorer for the home side with ‘‘No. That’s not an option,’’ of the team’s buildup towards an unbeaten 46 and remains he said. the world championship in the competition’s MVP leader. ‘‘Reece is keeping very game and the ability to clear the side is that other batsmen tournaments too. The ability with the bat made him Canterbury next play Canada in July. The Magicians reached well and he’s our No 1 the ropes easily, he has are hitting their straps. strength of the top order and too valuable to axe. Otago in Dunedin on Friday their target with more than [keeper].’’ struggled this season. The top order average at middle order has also affected He was also still the best then host Wellington at Rallying crisis five overs to spare. Stewart is likely to find it His 41 runs have come at a least 23.00 with impressive Young’s numbers. keeper in the country and Hagley Park this Sunday as West Indian Stefanie Tay- tough to get back in the side. strike rate of 89.13 and he has strike rates, while the middle He has batted just twice with the amount of standing part of a double header with ❯❯ Rallying’s governing body lor was the best for Auckland He averages just 10.25 from reached double figures only order – often tasked with this season, has not been up to the stumps required in the Canterbury Magicians, was in urgent talks to secure in Hamilton. his four bats this season and once. Making it even harder swinging for the fences from dismissed and Carter said his T20 cricket, that was still an who host the women’s the future of the world She took 2-14 from four though he has a strong power for Stewart to get back into ball one – have had strong experience and general invaluable asset. Twenty20 final. championship yesterday after overs before scoring an cancelling its contract with unbeaten 86 from just 63 balls promoters North One Sport including five fours and five SHORT SCOREBOARDS just 10 days before the Monte sixes. Carlo season-opener. The The Auckland Hearts Final points: Auckland 23, 2-20, J Boult 2-22) lost to Northern International Automobile chased down the Spirit’s 133-8 Auckland A take provincial title Wellington 22, Northern Districts Districts 127-4 (D Mitchell 54, B Federation said North One with an over to spare. 19, Otago 13, Canterbury 12.5*, Hatwell 47; T Muir 2-22) by six Sport had ‘‘conspicuously The Magicians host the Auckland have won the ahead of Wellington. Welling- on Sunday, finished fifth. was always going to be too Central Districts 6. wickets. failed’’ to deliver its Hearts in the 50-over final on provincial A cricket tourna- ton won all three of their Auckland chased down tough for Canterbury when Wellington 159-6 (S Murdoch 38, M Central Districts 156-7 (D contractual obligations for Papps 36, B Rhodes 30no, J Brodie Saturday at Rangiora’s Main- ment at Lincoln by one point. Twenty20 games and beat Central’s 156 for seven in just they lost too many wickets. Robinson 42, W Young 26no, R 2012 and beyond and was in 28; C Frauenstein 2-23) beat breach of contract. power Oval and in the T20 The Auckland A side had a Canterbury by 21 runs yester- 16 overs with two first-class Henry Nicholls was again Canterbury 138 all out (H Nicholls Badenhorst 25, G Todd; B Singh final on Sunday at Hagley one-point lead going into the day to secure second spot. players doing most of the the best for the home side, 51, T Astle 30; B Rhodes 3-17, N 2-22, D Grobbelaar 2-29, A Patel Park – the first act of a double- final round of Twenty20 Northern Districts was damage. Jeet Raval scored a scoring 51 from 32 balls, while Naguleswaran 3-26) by 21 runs. 2-31) lost to Auckland 160-2 (J Raval 70, T McIntosh 64no) by Hendry third header with the men’s HRV games yesterday. third after beating Otago by well-compiled 70 from just 37 skipper Todd Astle was the Otago 123 all out (H Rutherford 43, Cup game between the However, their eight- six wickets yesterday. balls and former Black Cap next best with 30. D Broom 29; B Arnel 2-20, J Baker eight wickets. ❯❯ Michael Hendry’s challenge Wizards and the Wellington wicket thumping of wooden Canterbury, which were Tim McIntosh scored an Northern restricted Otago for the Victorian Open fell Firebirds. spooners Central Districts docked half a point for a unbeaten 64. to just 123, reaching their short on Sunday when he shot was enough to secure the title slow over rate in a T20 match Wellington’s 159 for six target with four balls to spare. a two-over par 73 in the final Final Points: Canterbury Magicians 38, round to finish third. Hendry Auckland Hearts 30, Wellington Blaze 26, Northern Spirit 12, Central Hinds had led the tournament after 10, Otago Sparks 4. two rounds. The tournament Short Scoreboard: Otago 85 all out (K FOOTBALL was won by Scott Arnold, who Martin 44; K Anderson 3-20, R Candy 2-10, F Mackay 2-16, E Bermingham shot 68 on the final day to win 2-19) lost to Canterbury 86-2 (Mackay by a shot from another Aus- 44no) by eight wickets. tralian, Kurt Barnes. Arnold Northern Districts 133-8 (A Peterson Manchester United knock defending champions City out of FA Cup finished with a 12-under par 22, N Browne 21, H Arndt 20, M Nielsen 20; S Taylor 2-14, P Gruber 2-15) lost to total of 272. Hendry finished Auckland 136-6 (Taylor 86no; F Manchester United knocked Wayne Rooney scored early in the second half when 3-2 in the 65th minute fol- fourth round, a trip to bitter Sunderland beat second- with a seven-under par 277 Leydon-Davis 2-28, R Vincent 2-36) by four wickets. holders Manchester City out twice, with Danny Welbeck Aleksandar Kolarov bent a lowing a mistake by 37-year- rivals Liverpool.