Bowes stars as Kings move to top of table

Chad Bowes has powered the Canterbury Kings to the top of the T20 Super Smash table, hitting the highest individual score of the men’s season.

Bowes delivered a batting clinic yesterday at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval as the Kings thumped previous leaders, the Central Stags, by 58 runs.

Canterbury’s fourth win on the trot lifts them to the Super Smash summit with the Kings having two round games left, both against Otago. Win those and Canterbury would earn an automatic spot in the February 11 final, avoiding the February 9 elimination final.

Opener Bowes set up the win for Canterbury, blazing 89 from 52 balls in a stylish innings, which included 12 fours and three sixes.

Leo Carter was also in the runs, smashing an unbeaten 70 from 45 balls – teaming up for a 104-run second wicket stand with Bowes.

Bowes and Carter’s eye-catching batting got Canterbury through to 189-3 from their 20 overs, a total Central never threatened.

The Stags’ run chase started poorly with Will O’Rourke removing Bayley Wiggins and danger man Will Young within the space of three balls in his first over – the second of the innings.

Central slumped to 30-4 in the sixth over and never recovered.

The visitors’ batting was weakened, missing retired Black Caps legend Ross Taylor, who injured his groin at training on Thursday.

Bowes, who became the competition’s leading run-scorer this season during his

innings, made it look easy, timing the ball sweetly.

The former South African under-19 captain moved to Christchurch in 2015 and has been a reliable performer for Canterbury in recent summers. Eligible for the Black Caps, his T20 form this season will surely be drawing attention from New Zealand men’s selector Gavin Larsen.

A 23-run final over off the bowling of Brett Randell propelled the Kings to a formidable total.

Canterbury looked set for a score of around 200 after an excellent start when they were 95-1 after 10 overs.

Bowes and Carter combined for a century partnership from 61 balls with Bowes providing the bulk of the scoring, accumulating 70.

Ajaz Patel brought about Bowes’ downfall as he charged down the wicket and was stumped by Wiggins – 11 shy of a maiden T20 ton.

Bowes set the tone from the opening over, hitting three fours off Randell.

All the runs were flowing from Bowes’ bat with the hard-hitting right-hander dominating the strike.

It took until the last ball of the sixth over until Canterbury scored their first runs from someone other than Bowes when Carter hit a boundary. By that stage Canterbury were 58-1.