You might say Otago was blown away.
The Firebirds dominated the top-of-the-table Super Smash match at the University of Otago Oval.
The Volts lost early wickets but rallied to post 168 for five. Dean Foxcroft top-scored for Otago with a career-best knock of 82 not out from 57 balls.
But the target proved very easy going for Wellington. Conway demonstrated his outrageous skill again with a devastating knock of 101 not out from 49 balls.
The South African-born left-hander moved to the top of the run-scoring list with the impressive haul.
His qualification for New Zealand in September cannot come quickly enough given what has happened in Australia during the past month.
The 28-year-old has dined out on Otago attacks during the past few seasons and went nuclear with three sixes and 15 boundaries to seal a 10-wicket victory with more than three overs to spare.
It was his second twenty20 century — both have been against Otago. Unbelievably, he was averaging more than 200 against Otago leading into the match.
He has pushed that average out past 300 now. Mercy.
But Conway was not alone. Michael Pollard played a nice hand down the other end. He finished on 63 not out.
Their stand of 169 is an all-time T20 record partnership for Wellington.
The win means Wellington (24 points) has sealed a spot in the playoffs, while Otago (18 points) is in second place and very much still in contention despite the heavy loss.
Bowling into the wind was an effort and a-half. Logan Park Drive was littered with fallen branches from the trees which flank the venue.
No-one in their right mind would have chosen to bowl into it but Wellington’s Ollie Newton got the job initially and did well.
He picked up the wicket of the danger man Hamish Rutherford before the left-hander could get settled.
Rutherford was no in hurry to leave. The ball may have clipped his thigh guard rather than the bat but that is not what was recorded on the scorecard.
Fellow opener Neil Broom was bowled the next over. Hamish Bennett stormed in and got the ball to swing past his bat and collect the base of leg stump. It was lot easier from that end.
Two down became three down when Foxcroft crunched a drive down the ground.
Bennett got a hand to it and deflected it on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Poor old Nick Kelly had to trudge off with his side 26 for three after four overs. The chances of winning plummet when a team loses three wickets inside the first six overs.
But conditions were still stacked in favour of the batsmen and the rebuild was decent. Anaru Kitchen used the wind to his advantage with some nice shots down the ground. Foxcroft preferred to attack with a cross bat.
The pair put on 74 to break the Otago record fourth-wicket stand against Wellington.
Kitchen (42) was in sight of a half-century when he spooned a reverse sweep to Newton.
Despite the rally, Otago needed a very productive final five overs to compile a competitive total. It managed 56 thanks to some fine hitting from Foxcroft. But the poor start proved too much of a hurdle to overcome ultimately.
And how many would Otago have needed with Conway in the form he was?
- Canterbury batsman Leo Carter smashed six sixes in an over in Christchurch on Sunday.
The left-hander scored 36 runs against Northern Districts spinner Anton Devcich in the 16th over with some powerful leg-side hitting.
"I basically just stepped across and swung as hard as I could," he told Sky Sport.
