Trent Boult stole away a win for Northern Brave against Canterbury in a Super Smash fixture in Mount Maunganui not with the ball but with a final-ball six. The Knights needed 7 off the final two balls with just one wicket in hand and Katene Clarke was on strike against Ed Nuttall.
But Clarke could only manage to get a single on the penultimate ball bringing down the equation to 6 off the final ball. But Boult kept his cool and smashed this final delivery for a six to seal a victory by one wicket.
Earlier, in the day, the Northern Brave bowlers thoroughly dominated the Canterbury batting unit and bowled them out for 107 in the 18th over.
Canterbury didn’t have a good start to the proceedings and lost wickets at regular intervals to be left tottering at 85/7 before getting bundled out. Henry Nicholls was the top-scorer for his side with a 21-ball 35.
Joe Walker was the pick among the bowlers for Brave after he returned with impressive figures of 3/13 in 4 overs while Boult, Anurag Verma and Ish Sodhi scalped two wickets each during the course.
In reply, the Northern Brave had a decent beginning to the chase as they had put 46 within the first five overs but lost the way in the middle to suffer a collapse and were reduced to 101/9 in the final over before going over the line.
Clarke, who had earlier caused the carnage before leaving the field after being hit, remained unbeaten at 32 off 12 as he came out to bat again after the fall of the ninth wicket. Nuttal picked up three wickets for his team but was hit for 43 runs in 4 overs.
Canterbury will now play Otago in Christchurch on Sunday while Northern Knights will be up against Central Districts on December 30, 2021 in New Plymouth.