Jamal Todd made an excellent beginning to his T20 campaign, but the Volts could not make the most of a good start as they failed to make it a home double in Alexandra.
The Otago men — not that they are officially called that in this format anymore — slipped to a 28-run loss to the Canterbury Kings at Molyneux Park yesterday.
Chasing a formidable 189 for victory, the Volts lost their last seven wickets for 39 runs as they were rolled for 160 off the last ball of the innings.
Todd did everything he could at the top of the order to get his team’s chase on track.
The left-hander was particularly strong through the legside as he thrashed his third Super Smash half-century, rolling to 53 off just 24 balls (four fours, five sixes) to power the Volts to 62 for one off six overs.
After the early loss of Llew Johnson, Todd and Max Chu (38 off 29) got the chase humming, and when a cramped-up Todd departed, Glenn Phillips (24 off 20) took up the cause.
The Volts were still handily placed at 121 for three when the wheels fell off.
Chu advanced on Cam Paul and was bowled, Jack Boyle poked at a wide one from Sean Davey — whose first over went for 19 — and was caught in the half-deep, and Phillips tried to go big and straight but succeeded only in hitting straight to Boyle’s brother, Matt.
Luke Georgeson tried to stay in the fight but was left stranded on 23 (15 balls) as wickets tumbled at the other end.
Paul (three for 32 from four overs) led the Kings bowlers, while both Davey and Cole McConchie grabbed two wickets.
Canterbury’s 188 for five had been built around their classy top three.
Tom Latham smacked 75 off 48 (seven fours, four sixes), fellow opener Chad Bowes contributed 40 off 27 in a partnership of 95, and Henry Nicholls chimed in with 22 off 14.
That left Matt Boyle to make 24 off 17 as the Kings, who had lost the toss, posted what was always going to be a challenging total.
Phillips was the pick of the Volts bowlers with two for 29 from four overs.
— The Central Stags beat the Wellington Firebirds by 46 runs in Palmerston North on Saturday.
Dane Cleaver thrashed 95 off 53 balls to lead the Stags to 188 for seven, and Ajaz Patel took four for 21 as the Firebirds were dismissed for 142 in the 18th over.
KINGS
C Bowes b Lockrose 40 (27)
T Latham c Todd b Georgeson 75 (48)
H Nicholls c J Boyle b Phillips 22 (14)
C McConchie c Georgeson b Phillips 6 (5)
M Boyle c Todd b Bacon 24 (17)
M Hay not out 9 (6)
K Jamieson not out 5 (4)
Extras (2lb, 4w 1nb) 7
Total (for 5wkts, 20 overs) 188
Fall: 1-95, 2-127, 3-140, 4-173, 5-181.
Bowling: A Hazeldine 4-0-38-0 (1w), D Ferns 4-0-46-0 (1w), M Bacon 4-0-35-1, G Phillips 4-0-29-2, B Lockrose 2-0-21-1 (1w), L Georgeson 2-0-17-1 (1w, 1nb).
VOLTS
L Johnson c Bowes b McConchie 2 (8)
J Todd c M Boyle b McConchie 53 (24)
M Chu b Paul 38 (29)
G Phillips c M Boyle b Davey 24 (20)
J Boyle c Bowes b Davey 1 (5)
L Georgeson not out 23 (15)
J Gibson c Latham b Paul 7 (5)
B Lockrose c & b Sodhi 1 (3)
D Ferns run out 1 (3)
A Hazeldine b Sheat 4 (7)
M Bacon b Paul 0 (2)
Extras (5lb, 1nb) 6
Total (all out, 20 overs) 160
Fall: 1-46, 2-63, 3-121, 4-122, 5-123, 6-132, 7-133, 8-135, 9-149, 10-160.
Bowling: K Jamieson 4-0-34-0 (1nb), F Sheat 3-0-22-1, C Paul 4-0-32-3, C McConchie 3-0-26-2, I Sodhi 4-0-18-1, S Davey 2-0-23-2.
Result: Kings won by 28 runs.
