Kieran Noema-Barnett blasted his way into the record books with an extraordinary innings.
The solid 23-year-old clubbed the fastest half-century in the history of the HRV Cup to help Central Districts beat his former side, Otago, by seven wickets at Queens Park in Invercargill yesterday.
In a brutal 18-minute onslaught he swatted six sixes and three fours on his way to a remarkable 14-ball 50.
The former Carisbrook-Dunedin all-rounder punched the air in delight when he carved a four through the covers to raise the milestone. It was an exhilarating innings and compelling viewing. But it was also a humiliating defeat for Otago and has, in all likelihood, brought the Volts' prospects to a premature end.
The 2008-09 champion has lost its opening four games of the tournament and is anchored at the bottom of the competition table.
His power hitting was impressive but the Otago attack played a crucial role in his astonishing innings, dishing up a steady buffet of half volleys which the big left-hander was able to get under and swing away. He hit seven sixes in all and was undefeated on 57 when Michael Yardy hit the winning runs.
A decent fast bowler worth his salt might have dug the ball in short and tested Noema-Barnett's mettle. A yorker might have come in handy too.
Noema-Barnett played six twenty/20 matches for Otago in 2006-07 before moving to Napier and signing with Central Districts. What a loss he is to the province and what a loss for the province. Otago will have to regroup before Wednesday's fixture against Canterbury at QEII Park.
The side looks low on confidence and bereft of ideas and must cease and desist with its tactic of bowling medium-pace trundler Darren Stevens at the top of the innings.
All it has achieved to date is give the opposition the opportunity to get their "eye in". The English professional started with a huge legside wide which would have ran away for a boundary had it had any heat on it. But at barely medium pace he was saved that indignity.
With 10 runs coming off the over and 12 off the next from James McMillan, Otago was immediately under pressure.
Sense prevailed when the province's leading strike bowler Neil Wagner was thrown the ball. He has pace and bounce and was more threatening. But twenty/20 can be a cruel game.
Peter Ingram, looking every bit like a baseball player, took the long handle to the South African-born left-armer. Anything pitched up was quickly whistled to or over the ropes and, remarkably, he did not move his feet once.
It is a unique style and one which has served him well. But he abandoned that plan, running past a delivery from the offspinner Chris Nash and was promptly stumped. But with 28 runs off 14 the damage had been done.
Ingram combined with George Worker to put on 50 from 29 deliveries. Any momentum Otago had managed to generate at the end of its innings dissolved rapidly.
The Volts were haemorrhaging runs, with Wagner's second over costing 23 runs. Worse was to come. Noema-Barnett nonchalantly smashed four sixes off the 14th over - Stevens was the unlucky bowler on the receiving end.
It was not all bad news for Otago. After a sluggish start, Broom and de Boorder combined in a fabulous undefeated 79-run stand for the seventh-wicket.
De Boorder (38no) is not known for his boundary-hitting prowess but played a gem of an innings.
He launched an assault in the 18th over, hitting promising fast bowler Adam Milne for two sixes and a four and teamed up with Broom (38no) to smash the same bowler for 21 off the last over.
The pair came together with their side 96 for six and limping along. They added 50 runs off 26 deliveries and their partnership gave the Volts cause for optimism at the break.
