"We were close, weren’t we?"
The Volts wrapped up their men’s Super Smash campaign in fifth place with a record of three wins, five losses and a rare tie. They were four points off making the playoffs.
"I felt like we played enough good cricket to get ourselves in the finals, but just didn’t have that kind of finishing touch that we needed to finish a couple of those games," Volts coach Josh Tasman-Jones said.
"Definitely some great signs with the team and the way we chased 230 in that last [home] game was really promising.
"Even in that last game, obviously we were well under par with the bat, but to take that into the last over showed a lot of the character that we want as a team and that’s what we’ve been showing across the season.
"A lot of positives, but definitely a little bit deflating because I definitely feel like we were good enough to be in that position."
The Sparks also wrapped up their women’s Super Smash campaign, finishing fifth with four wins and five losses.
Both teams’ focus now turns to their one-day competitions getting under way next week.
The Volts, who are yet to win a Ford Trophy game this season, resume against the Northern Districts at home next Wednesday.
"We found ourselves on the wrong end of results to start the season but, again, we weren’t far away," Tasman-Jones said.
"It’s just those match-winning contributions that we need.
"The boys are training really well and you can’t really fault the quality of the talent . . . that we have in the squad. It’s definitely there.
"It’s just finding that next level which will get us over the line in a lot of those close games."
Volts captain Luke Georgeson, who has been sidelined, is expected to be cleared to bat at the end of this week.
Batter Llew Johnson is a little further off as the Volts await specialist advice on his shoulder injury, Tasman-Jones said.
The Sparks get their Hallyburton Johnstone Shield season back under way with back-to-back games on February 7 and 8, when they are away to Wellington.
The Sparks have two wins and four losses in their one-day season.
— The Auckland Hearts had an eight-wicket DLS win against the Central Hinds yesterday to leap above the Hinds and book a spot in the women’s Super Smash playoffs.
They will meet the Northern Brave in the elimination final on Friday in Christchurch. Defending champions the Wellington Blaze have secured their spot in Saturday’s final.
In the men’s competition, Central Stags captain Tom Bruce smacked 95 off 50 but it was not enough for the defending champions, who had an eight-run DLS loss to the Auckland Aces yesterday.
The Aces will now meet the Canterbury Kings in Friday’s elimination final. The winner will then meet the Northern Brave in the Saturday’s final.
