A blistering half-century from Henry Nicholls has led the Canterbury Kings to a four-wicket victory over the Otago Volts in Alexandra this afternoon.
Chasing 172 for victory, Nicholls opened the batting and got off to a flyer, racing to 32 off 13 as Canterbury charged to 62/2 off five overs.
Nicholls' scoring rate slowed but he continued on to bring up his ninth T20 half-century. The Volts found a way back into the game when Travis Muller got Nicholls caught behind for 59 and clean bowled Mitch Hay with the following ball.
But Kings captain Cole McConchie steadied the ship, hitting the next two overs for 27 and putting his side in a commanding position.
Wickets continued to fall towards the end of the innings, but the required rate was low enough the Kings were never under too much pressure. Zak Foulkes eventually finished the game off in the penultimate over with a booming six over midwicket.
Earlier, Volts stalwart Hamish Rutherford had got his side off to an excellent start with a 39-ball 52, his 18th T20 half-century. While Jake Gibson and Dean Foxcroft fell early, Rutherford found support in returning Black Cap Glenn Phillips, who made 38 on his T20 debut for the Volts.
Yet after 15 overs, the score was only at 108 and both set batsmen had been dismissed. However, Max Chu (34 off 18) and Dale Phillips (32 off 16) combined beautifully in the final five overs to take the Volts score to 171.
Foulkes was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-33 from his four overs. McConchie provided an important two-over spell, conceding just seven runs and taking the wicket of Rutherford.
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