It will surely go down as one of the closest finishes in NZ T20 history - by centimetres.

As WILLEM LUDICK swung hard into the final ball of the match, the Central Stags needing six to tie the game and force a super over, the Pukekura Park terraces erupted in cheering as the ball sailed towards the long boundary, right between the Aces fielders.

Ludick (a fearless 27* off just seven balls) had just slammed Colin Munro's 20th over for three sixes.

He'd picked up the strike second ball, following the dismissal of RYAN WATSON at 19.1 overs and crossing, the Stags still a long shot to haul in their target of 211.

Slowly the excitement in the terraces dimmed as umpire Wayne Knights looked towards a delighted Marty Guptill emerging from the shadows of the boundary.

After what seemed like an eternity of confusion, the confirmation finally came through that the ball had bounced inside the toblerones: it was a four.

SCORES

Just a few inches more and Saturday's high-scoring thriller would have seen the points still on the table in a tied game; instead the Stags had to swallow walking away empty-handed despite reaching 208 for seven in the chase, in one of the highest T20 match aggregates seen on the park.

The only consolation was that it was a hell of an entertaining game.

The home crowd gripped to the last by the fight, so close, so far, in a huge late charge - having needed 40 runs to win off the final two overs and very nearly getting up.

Having removed big pinch hitter JOSH CLARKSON, form captain TOM BRUCE, and then Watson at the death, the Aces may well have thought the game was all but in the bag by the time AJAZ PATEL joined Ludick with five balls to go.

Patel never got to face a ball while 22-year-old allrounder Ludick showed ice-cool composure in lifting the ball into terraces, with the last swing of the bat almost, almost, almost.

TOM BRUCE | Photosport

Earlier, both Bruce and GEORGE WORKER had shown their experience with valuable half centuries to give the Stags a chance, after a ballistic innings from a strong Aces line-up that included BLACKCAPS Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman as well as Munro and Guptill.

Worker took a stinging blow to the glove early doors against a crafty Mitch McClenaghan, yet shook it off to reach 62 off 39 balls, batting into the 13th over.

GEORGE WORKER | Photosport

He tore into five boundaries and five sixes with his half ton coming off just 29 balls.

Bruce got there in 32 with a fighting 67 off 41 before he was run out by a sensational piece of fielding from Sean Solia with seven balls to go.

It set the stage for the classy Ludick who, despite a previous best of just 14 in Super Smash, showed he knew how to handle a pressure situation.

Batting first after captain Craig Cachopa had won the toss, Aces dangermen Guptill (43, after being dropped on four) and Munro (31) were patient early and then flourished, but ultimately fell in quick succession to KIERAN NOEMA-BARNETT and Watson to leave the Aces 80/2 in the 10th.

It was Taranaki local Watson's first game for the Stags on his home ground of Pukekura Park, after coming into the XI in place of Ben Wheeler for just his third appearance in the competition. He picked up two massive wickets in Munro and Glenn Phillips for his trouble.

RYAN WATSON | Photosport

Phillips and Mark Chapman - not for the first time profiting at the park - had made sure the momentum continued the way of the visitors, however, with a 50-run partnership off just 25 balls.

Phillips (27) was dismissed in the 14th over, but the runs kept coming.

Corey Anderson hit two sixes in his 15, before an impressive BLAIR TICKNER - whose concession of eight an over was parsimonious under the circumstances - got his reward for good toil, Anderson nicking behind.

Photosport

Cachopa came out to join the damaging Chapman and together they quickly put on an unbeaten 51* off 22 balls, Chapman (63*) posting his 50 from 23 balls to get the ACES to 210 for four.

In reply, Worker peeled 18 runs from the sixth over but ultimately T20 veteran spinner Ronnie Hira struck two big blows in the 13th, Worker caught at long off, and Noema-Barnett gone three balls later.

Bruce found his flow with some brilliant hitting as he reached his half-century in 32 balls and with Clarkson going well at the other end, the Stags had an outside chance to join the Hinds in celebrating a home win on the second of a busy two days, four games in 48 hours.

While two tough results over the Friday and Saturday have seen the Stags drop from first to third, they remain just four points off the lead - just one win away from the Otago Volts at the top of the table, with the two sides destined to meet in the Stags' last home round robin game at McLean Park this Thursday 2 January 2020.

Article added: Sunday 29 December 2019