De Grandhomme leads Brave over Firebirds

The Northern Brave won a lowscoring clash against the Wellington Firebirds to earn a six-wicket victory and cement their spot at the top of the Super Smash table.

After dismissing the Firebirds for just 104 runs at Cobham Oval in Whangerei yesterday, the Northern Brave looked like they might have a comfortable run chase.

However, on a wicket that offered plenty of turn they had to overcome the loss of four wickets to get the job done with just seven balls to spare, as Henry Cooper hit a six to clinch the win.

Meanwhile the Wellington Blaze women all but wrapped up top spot and the free path into the T20 final after destroying the Northern Brave for a record-low score in their clash yesterday.

The out-of-contention hosts were after winning the toss, routed for a paltry 46 – the lowest score in the format in New Zealand, women’s or men’s – on their way to an eight-wicket defeat.

Blaze off-spinner Xara Jetly claimed the unbelievable figures of 4-1 off three overs – the fourth-best women’s T20 figures on Kiwi soil, and the most economical nationally, to somehow upstage White Ferns leggie Amelia Kerr, who had earlier taken 3-9 off her complement.

The Brave’s total easily dipped under the previous lowest T20 score on Kiwi soil – the 56 by the Central Hinds against the Blaze in Lincoln two seasons ago – after their final nine wickets fell for just 19.

Sophie Devine set the tone in swinging the ball prodigiously and conceding just a single off each of her first two overs.

The Blaze – gunning for a

fourth T20 title in five years – are now eight from eight, and will, barring a miracle, top the ladder for a fourth time in five years as well.

The Auckland Aces recovered from a crazy batting collapse to record a remarkable Super Smash victory over the Otago Volts at Eden Park Outer Oval on Saturday.

After the out-of-contention

visitors had slumped to 130 all out, the home side then crumbled to an absolute mess of 13-5, and 26-6, before somehow triumphing by one wicket, with two balls to spare, in a thrilling finish.

The Otago Sparks sealed a spot in the women’s Super Smash finals after a crushing 10-wicket win over the Auckland Hearts at Eden Park Outer Oval on Saturday.