Otago beat Central District by 1 run in a T20 where 497 runs were scored

The Super Smash Twenty20 match between Otago and Central District at the Pukekura Park, New Plymouth proved to be a high scoring thriller. It witnessed quite a few T20 records being shattered as the teams aggregated a total of 497 runs in the match. This places the match at the top of the list of most runs scored in a T20 match. The record was previously held by the India v West Indies match played at the Lauderhill, USA.

Otago skipper Hamish Rutherford won the toss and quite conveniently decided to bat first on a wicket that promised a lot of runs and proved to be an absolute highway. They were off to a flying start with both the openers kicking things off in a cracking fashion. Anaru Kitchen and Rutherford both got to their respective half centuries and took the team total over a 100 runs in less than 9 overs.

Central District captain Will Young having seen his pacers go for runs brought in the left-arm pacer Marty Kain. In the 11th over they were dealt the first blow with the wicket of Kitchen who was out bowled for 54 off 33 balls. They had a 130-run partnership for the first wicket. Rutherford carried on and stitched together another important partnership with Neil Broom who was unbeaten at the end of the innings on 42.

At the stroke of the 16th over Rutherford was dismissed after completing a splendid century. He scored 106 runs off just 50 balls and his knock was studded with 9 boundaries and 8 sixes. New Zealand allrounder James Neesham joined Broom but couldn’t contribute more than 18 runs. By then the Otago team total was well over 200. No.5 Mitchell Bracewell got to face just 3 balls in the last over of the game and made the most of it by striking two sixes and a four to stay unbeaten on 16 and took the team total to 249.

Scoreboard pressure was expected to act when Central District walk out to start their chase but the wicket was all for the batters and CD also had a good start. Though they lost opener George Worker for 35 to Neesham his partner former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene was in a different mood. He punished the Otago bowlers and showed them how business was managed in a pressure chase.

Mahela kept them in view of the target and had a crucial partnership with Tom Bruce. But the veteran was dismissed towards the end in the 19 over having scored a magnificent century – 116 runs from 56 balls with 12 fours and 7 sixes. CD were still well on course with Bruce batting so well. He was there till the very end unbeaten on 61 off 29 balls (3 fours and 6 sixes) but his partner Dane Cleaver was run out on the last ball of the inning and they fell agonizingly short of the target by a single run.

This match ended in a similar fashion like the India-West Indies T20I which they eclipsed for the most aggregate runs in a match.

Brief Scores:

Otago: 249/3 (Rutherford 106; S Rance 2/54)

Central District: 248/4 (M Jayawardene 116; J Neesham 2/37)