In an exciting last-day run chase at Eden Park Outer Oval yesterday, Auckland Ace Mark Chapman scored his second first-class century of the match — in a game in which Northern Districts captain Joe Carter also scored a century in each innings.
It was the first time in the history of the Plunket Shield — the national first-class championship that began in 1906-07 — that two batsmen have achieved the feat in the same fixture.
The Aces began the day requiring 371 to win. They quickly fell to 72 for four, but Chapman stepped up, in concert with Ben Horne.
The pair put on a 205-run partnership for the sixth wicket before Horne fell after bringing up his own century, making 107 off just 102 balls.
Chapman followed not long after for 146, leaving Auckland 53 to get off just nine overs with three wickets in hand.
Matt McEwan soon also departed and numbers nine and 10, Lockie Ferguson and Louis Delport, were left to take the Aces towards the line.
Both struck big blows in a crucial partnership of 41, until just two runs were needed fom the day’s last over from Ish Sodhi. In another twist though, Ferguson was out lbw to its first ball.
But Aces No11 Ben Lister scrambled a single from his second ball to tie the scores, and Delport belted the over’s fourth for four to secure a thrilling one-wicket win.
