Fletcher, Kerr star in wins that set up twin Wgtn-Canty finals

Canterbuiry wicketkeeper-batsman Cameron Fletcher blasted his side into the Super Smash final with a match-winning knock against Central Districts in the elimination final in Auckland yesterday.

He clobbered 72 from 42 balls to help the Kings overhaul the Stags’ total of 180 for seven.

Black Caps all-rounder Daryl Mitchell played a crucial role as well. He stroked 88 from 58.

The pair combined in a partnership of 132 for the fifth wicket. Canterbury had slumped to 38 for four.

Both batsmen were dismissed late in the match which created a tense finish.

But Matt Henry found a single off the penultimate ball to seal the win.

Earlier, Will Young blazed 101 from 47 balls to help rescue his side from a weak position at 103 for five.

It was his maiden T20 century but it came in a losing effort.

While there was some top quality batting on display, Fletcher produced the standout knock.

He swatted five sixes and four fours to ensure the Kings will join defending champions the Wellington Firebirds in tomorrow’s final at the Basin Reserve.

"It is an incredible feeling," Fletcher said shortly after the game.

"It was a knockout game and everything to play for and we knew we had to go out there hard.

"I thought we did an incredible job in the field ... but Will Young was amazing. To then to turn it around and get the win was an incredible feeling."

 - Defending women's champion the Wellington Blaze kept its four-peat dream alive by beating the Auckland Hearts by 35 runs at Auckland's Eden Park Outer Oval yesterday.

Third qualifiers after the regular season, the Blaze turned the tables on the Hearts — who four days earlier had beaten the Wellington side by just seven runs.

In the crunch elimination match though, it was a comfortable victory for the star-studded Blaze, set up by an unbeaten 54 off 44 balls from Melie Kerr in a first innings total of 150 for six, after captain Maddy Green had elected to bat.

Green and Sophie Devine had given the Blaze a strong start before Kerr capitalised, and then the Blaze got off to the perfect start with the ball, with Devine bowling dangerous opener Anna Peterson first ball with a corker.

Katie Perkins and Bella Armstrong steadied the ship for the Hearts with a 65-run stand for the third wicket, but a run out and two wickets in the space of four balls in the 18th over, bowled by Kerr — who ended with two for 16 from her four overs — was a killer blow from which the Hearts could not recover.

The Aucklanders were only able to limp to 115 for seven.

Wellington Blaze will now meet top qualifier the Canterbury Magicians in the women’s final tomorrow at the Basin Reserve, before the men’s final, for a Wellington-Canterbury double header. — Additional reporting staff reporter