Canterbury beat Northern

Power packed batter Ken McClure tormented Northern Districts’ bowlers once again as he blasted defending Ford Trophy champions Canterbury to an opening round victory in Hamilton yesterday. In a rain-shortened 32-over match to open the 2021-22 one-day competition, McClure cracked 87 off 55 balls to usher in a seven-wicket victory for the red-and-blacks at Seddon Park. Lethal against the short ball, McClure hit five sixes in his innings as Canterbury chased down ND’s 239-8 in a canter with 28 balls to spare. It was shades of McClure’s 92 off 74 balls at Hagley Oval in March, which helped Canterbury beat ND in the trophy final. Wellington host Otago in game two in the capital today.

Northern Districts 239-8 off 32 overs (Jeet Raval 74, Joe Carter 52, Henry Cooper 52; Matt Henry 2-42, Ed Nuttall 2-58) lost to Canterbury 240-3 off 27.2 overs (Ken McClure 87, Cole McConchie 57no, Leo Carter 54no) by 7 wickets.