STAGS MOVE UP AFTER CURTIS HEAPHY CENTURY
The CENTRAL STAGS were the big movers in the latest round of The Ford Trophy as rising star CURTIS HEAPHY broke through with his first white-ball ton
The 21-year-old opener went big in Dunedin, batting 49 overs for an impressive maiden 142 on Wednesday.
It set up a timely 108-run victory against the Otago Volts, the Stags' first win of the summer catapulting them from last to fourth on the ladder.
Now Heaphy is hoping for more of the same as the team heads into the last one-dayer this side of Christmas, against defending champions Canterbury, in Rangiora this Sunday.
A first win under new skipper Jayden Lennox
The fifth round is a rematch between these 2023 Grand Finalists, and pits the title-winners from the past two seasons against each other as the Stags look to climb another rung, before switching into the start of their Plunket Shield campaign.
For Heaphy, it’s his first visit to Mainpower Oval and he's arrived there as one of the two top runscorers in the competition. His 220 runs from four matches sits behind only Canterbury double centurion Chad Bowes (253 runs from three matches).
All three top-order Stags are in the top six runscorers nationally, with last summer’s top runscorer BRAD SCHMULIAN and JACK BOYLE also having produced centuries in the early part of their campaign.
THE FORD TROPHY 2024/25
Leading runscorers after 4/10 rounds
Chad Bowes 253 (Canterbury, 3 matches)
Curtis Heaphy 220 (Central Stags, 4 matches)
Brad Schmulian 212 (Central Stags, 4 matches)
Mike Sclanders 203 (Auckland Aces, 4 matches)
Will O’Donnell 189 (Auckland Aces, 4 matches)
Jack Boyle 183 (Central Stags, 4 matches)
However, the success in Dunedin was the first time the team had really put it together with both bat and ball, Heaphy says.
His classy landmark 142 flew off just 145 balls, with 10 boundaries and two sixes, “but winning games for CD is the main thing, so it was nice to finally get a ‘W’ on the board and hopefully we get the ball rolling now,” he said.
“It was a good deck in Dunedin, swinging a bit at the top but once you were in, it was a nice pitch on which to play,” he added.
“With Schmoo getting off to quite a good start, it meant I could also take my time a little bit and then ‘catch up’ later on - with Boyley coming in and carrying on the tempo as well.
Consistency from Brad Schmulian | PHOTOSPORT
“I was really happy with how I worked through my gears across the innings, setting a platform, and then picking it up at the death and by then I was able to have some fun.
"A few reverses and stuff which was nice. We had the sound base from which guys could come in and just launch into it.”
An injury to Volts strikeman Matt Bacon at the 40-over mark also worked in the team’s favour, providing two extra overs of spin as the Stags looked to power home to their biggest total of the summer.
But Bacon had already bowled seven of his complement by then, and Heaphy had already celebrated his century - off 118 balls, with five boundaries and a six as he got to three figures.
Setting the Volts a 331-chase, the Stags then bowled out their hosts for 222 with almost seven overs to spare for a bonus point.
Dunedin was the first time the team had really put batting and bowling together, Heaphy said.
"I think our bowling line-up did really well on that deck to not let any of the Volts get in, not to let any of them get to a place from which they could launch. If we keep doing that, we’ll win more games.
“Our bowling in the first game against the Auckland Aces at Pukekura Park had been really good as well — restricting them to 244, but our batting didn’t quite click so we didn’t get across the line.
Curtis Heaphy | PHOTOSPORT
“The next game was almost the opposite. Our batting against ND was really good [centurions Schmulian and Boyle producing a 217-run partnership], but again we didn’t get across the line.
"Then we got washed out in Wellington so to put it all together and win in Dunedin was a good feeling.”
The Stags have again named an unchanged squad for Sunday’s fifth round, the halfway mark of the regular competition. It’s been the same twelve since game one.
“Being on the road together for five consecutive rounds has been fun, keeping the boys on tour together,” Heaphy said.
“The team has been travelling well and it’s been a nice time to have that vibe in the early part of our season.
“Now I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do in this next round, and personally to seeing the Rangiora ground for myself.
“I’ve only played at Hagley against Canterbury away, but I hear it’s normally pretty good to bat on.”
The free admission match has a scheduled start time of 10.30am tomorrow
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2024/25 | ROUND FIVE
Central Stags v Canterbury
10.30am Sunday, 3 November
Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
JAYDEN Lennox - captain, Hawke's Bay
JACK Boyle - Hawke's Bay
TOM Bruce - Taranaki
WILL Clark - Hawke's Bay
JOSH Clarkson - Nelson
DANE Cleaver - wicketkeeper, Manawatū
CURTIS Heaphy - Manawatū
BRETT Randell
ANGUS Schaw - Hawke's Bay
BRAD Schmulian - Hawke's Bay
BLAIR Tickner - Hawke's Bay
RAY Toole - Manawatū
Head Coach: GLENN Pocknall
Assistant Coach: ALDIN Smith
Contracted Stags players unavailable for selection
Ajaz Patel, Will Young (BLACKCAPS Test Series in India)
Joey Field (injury - leg)
Toby Findlay (injury - hand)
Article added: Saturday 2 November 2024
