BLAIR TICKNER’s best first-class match figures of 8/48, including a second-innings bag of 5/30, helped the CENTRAL STAGS finish their 2024/25 and Plunket Shield summer on a high note.

The Stags trounced the Auckland Aces by nine wickets with almost half the match to spare in Palmerston North — where an excellent, result pitch offered encouragement for the pacemen and the spinners alike, and some swing as well.

Tickner was back for the first time in the back half of the campaign after his bicep injury, and quickly showed the Stags how much they had missed his experience, aggressive presence and heavy ball at the top of the attack.

He was one of three changes for the Round 8 match, with JACK BOYLE and ANGUS SCHAW also returning to the 12 for WILL YOUNG (BLACKCAPS squad) and TOBY FINDLAY.

Schaw had been something of a match-turner in Auckland a few rounds ago when the Stags bullied the Aces from start to finish at Eden Park’s outer oval, only for the game to end in a draw on a dead pitch.

Palmerston North offered much more excitement and promise.

Aces captain Cam Fletcher had elected to bat under conflower blue skies on day one, no doubt looking forward to his spinners getting some traction in the last innings.

But it did not pan out for the visitors who soon found themselves on the back foot.

Tickner and JOEY FIELD picked up two early wickets in the first session before Will O’Donnell led a recovery.

But the Central spinners, Schaw and JAYDEN LENNOX, both enjoyed their work in the afternoon.

Schaw finished with hauls of 3/27 and 1/16 Lennox with 4/60 and 3/26 before Tickner went beserk on the third morning with four quick strikes, to add to his wicket the previous afternoon, setting up the early finish.

That left the Stags needing just 56 runs for victory in the last chase, which BRAD SCHMULIAN and DANE CLEAVER ticked off for a result before lunch on the penultuimate day.

It was the Stags’ third Plunket Shield outright of the season, and just one more win would have had them right in contention for the title.

SCORECARD

But it was not to be, after a slew of injuries and a costly pair of losses to Otago and Canterbury. The Dream11 Super Smash champions will finish fourth in the red-ball format this summer, to go with third place in The Ford Trophy.

There was plenty to ruminate on, but also, plenty to celebrate.

TOM BRUCE’s new Stags first-class record individual score  of 345, and the team’s new record total of 700/5 declared, both in Auckland, will not easily be forgotten.

Tenacious Lennox seized his opportunity in AJAZ PATEL’s injury-induced absence to lead the slow bowling department, and finished as the team’s top wicket-taker in the the red ball with 24 wickets, placing him in the top 10 nationally.

The most consistent batter, DANE CLEAVER, had a superb campaign, finishing with two centuries — and very nearly three, with his unbeaten 98* in Alexandra — among 726 runs at a 92.00 average for the campaign, as well as 35 dismissals/catches.

He is now the Stags’ most capped keeper-batsman in the first-class game, having gone past TONY BLAIN and BEVAN GRIGGS in the last two matches.

Article added: Tuesday 1 April 2025