The Wellington Firebirds wrap up their Ford Trophy One-Day campaign at Queen’s Park in Invercargill on Wednesday against the Otago Volts.
The Firebirds welcome back Jesse Ryder for this final round clash. Ryder has been sidelined with a calf injury since early in the HRV Cup Twenty20 competition. Opener Josh Brodie also joins the team after strong recent form opening the batting for his club Eastern Suburbs.
Harry Boam batting agaisnt the Auckland Aces on Sunday. Boam
The team is:
Grant Elliott (Captain, Naenae Old Boys)
Harry Boam (Karori)
Josh Brodie (Eastern Suburbs)
James Franklin (Wellington Collegians)
Mark Gillespie (North City)
Scott Kuggeleijn (Wellington Collegians)
Andy McKay (Karori)
Stephen Murdoch (Karori)
Michael Papps (Wellington Collegians)
Jeetan Patel (Eastern Suburbs)
Jesse Ryder (Naenae Old Boys)
Luke Woodcock (Johnsonville)
Match Information
What: Ford Trophy Round Eight, Wellington Firebirds v Otago Volts
Where: Queen’s Park, Invercargill
When: Wednesday 1 February, from 11.00am
Live scoring: Visit www.firebirds.co.nz for live scoring of the match
Wellington v Otago: One-Day Match Information
Head to head:
Played 51, won 30, lost 17, tied 1, no result 3
First met:
8 December 1974, Basin Reserve, Win to Wellington by 8 runs.
Last met:
4 December 2011, at the Hawkins Basin Reserve, win to Otago by 6 runs.
Wellington v Otago One-Day records:
Wellington highest total: 274, at Wellington 2000-01
Otago lowest total: 64, at Alexandra 1984-85
Wellington best batting: 124, Roger Twose, at Wellington 2000-01
Wellington best bowling: Ash Turner, 5 for 12, at Wellington 2002-03
A glance at the past (some selected memorable one-day moments between Wellington and Otago):
1984-85: Wellington bowls Otago out for 64 and then saunters to an easy win with 17 overs to spare, despite losing five wickets themselves along the way. Otago’s wickets are all shared around, but Evan Gray (3 for 11 off 10 overs), Steve Maguiness (3 for 17 off 10) and Ewen Chatfield (2 for 12 off 9) all bowl tightly.
1993: Gavin Larsen trumps the above trio with the most economical bowling by a Wellington bowler in New Zealand domestic one-day cricket: 10 overs, 5 maidens, 2 for 6. In a low scoring game at Alexandra, it is enough to see Wellington win by 1 wicket after restricting Otago to 136 and then reaching 137 for 9.
2000-01: Matthew Walker becomes the third and last bowler to take a New Zealand domestic cricket one-day hat trick in a nail biting loss at Dunedin. Wellington bats first and scores 244, and Otago’s chase appears in control until Walker gets his hat trick with the score on 232 as Otago lose their sixth, seventh and eight wickets. But the tail enders then see the home side home with four balls to spare for a one wicket win.
Later in the same season, Wellington reverses this loss against Otago in empathic style courtesy of an unbroken third wicket stand of 244 off 263 balls between Stephen Fleming and Roger Twose, which breaks a New Zealand domestic one-day record for any wicket. Fleming makes 120 off 134 not out off balls and Twose 124 not out off 145 balls as Wellington compiles 274 for 2. Otago are then bowled out for 172 inside 37 overs.
2004-05: Wellington wins a thrilling high scoring match at the Basin Reserve, chasing down Otago’s 262 with four balls to spare. The Firebirds lose early wickets but Stephen Fleming reaches 50 from 55 balls and James Franklin his first one-day 50 from 52 balls. Luke Woodcock (39) and (Mayu Pasupati 30 not out off 26 balls) then help see Wellington home in a close finish.
2008-09: High drama at Invercargill as Wellington wins off the last ball. James Franklin steers the Firebirds to a triumphant last-gasp victory, his last ball heroics capping off a nail biting and thrilling win for the Firebirds who time their run chase to perfection in surpassing Otago’s 244. With the last Firebirds pair at the crease, Franklin hits a two off the penultimate ball of the match to tie the scores and then steers Otago left armer Neil Wagner through the covers off the last and he and Iain O’Brien crossed for the win. Franklin finishes unbeaten on 87 off 98 balls. Coming to the crease at the fall of Grant Elliott’s wicket at 84 for 3 after 16 overs, Franklin bats for 138 minutes before reaching 50 off 77 balls.