Ford Trophy 2023-24: Top run-getters and wicket-takers after Canterbury vs Central Districts (Updated) ft. Troy Johnson and Kristian Clarke

The Ford Trophy 2024 tournament witnessed Otago secure a 15-run win over Wellington. Auckland also won against the Central Districts by six wickets, while the game between Canterbury and Northern Districts game was abandoned due to rain.

In the first match, Otago posted 226 runs after being put into bat by Wellington, who won the toss. Otago were in deep trouble after their top order failed to fire, but middle-order batter Dale Phillips (57 off 66 balls) and Andrew Hazeldine (54 off just 26 balls) propelled the total past 200. Logan van Beek was the pick of the Wellington bowlers, taking 3/27. In response, Troy Johnson’s 109-ball 83 went in vain as Wellington fell short by 15 runs, getting bowled out for 211. Luke Georgeson was the wrecker-in-chief for Otago, picking up impressive figures of 5/37.

Auckland secured a comfortable six-wicket win against Central Districts in the second match. Electing to bat first, half-centuries by openers George Worker (56 off 91) and Cole Briggs (49 off 56) helped Auckland post 233/8. Ajaz Patel took 3 wickets for the opposition. Central Districts’ chase was built around Brad Schmulian’s 127-ball 104, winning the game with five balls to spare.

In the next game between Canterbury and Northern Districts, the home side batted first and scored 273/8, powered by Chad Bowes’ 72-ball 74 and Zak Foulkes’ quickfire 57-ball 57. Northern Districts were struggling at 29/2 in 10 overs in the second innings while chasing 274, when play had to be finally called off due to persistent showers.

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Ford Trophy 2023-24 Most Runs List

Sr. No	Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
1	FH Allen (AUCK)	5	5	0	387	168	77.4	305	126.88	2	-	-	39	19
2	BR Hampton (ND)	8	6	3	321	126*	107	267	120.22	1	2	-	25	16
3	TM Johnson (WELL)	7	7	1	308	97*	51.33	411	74.93	-	3	-	23	7
4	RR O'Donnell (AUCK)	8	8	2	291	75*	48.5	406	71.67	-	2	-	31	3
5	JF Carter (ND)	8	7	1	290	106	48.33	329	88.14	1	1	-	27	5
6	CJ Bowes (CANT)	7	7	0	273	74	39	282	96.8	-	1	-	38	6
7	TK Parkes (OTAGO)	7	6	1	251	78	50.2	360	69.72	-	3	-	22	2
8	MJ Hay (CANT)	7	7	0	242	82	34.57	307	78.82	-	2	-	22	4
9	BD Schmulian (CD)	7	6	1	241	104*	48.2	315	76.5	1	1	-	27	1
10	CG Heaphy (CD)	6	6	1	233	70	46.6	409	56.96	-	3	-	14	0

Auckland opener Finn Allen continues to be at the top of the runs chart in the ongoing Ford Trophy 2024. Allen has smashed 387 runs in five innings at a staggering average of 77.40 and a strike rate of 126.88.

Northern District's Brett Hampton occupies the second spot with 321 runs from six innings. Wellington's Troy Johnson's consistency sees him placed third with 308 runs from seven innings at an average of 51.33.

Auckland middle-order batter Robert O'Donnell and Northern District's Joe Carter round up the top 5 run accumulators so far with 291 runs and 290 runs, respectively, and both average in the high 40s.

Canterbury opener Chad Bowes broke into the top 10 with his unbeaten 74 against the Northern Districts today. He dislodged Central District's prodigious George Worker from sixth place. Bowes has now compiled 273 runs in five innings.

The other batters in the top 10 run chart are Central Districts veteran Thorn Parkes (251 runs), Mitchell Hay (242), Central Districts' Brad Schmulian (241), and Otago opener Curtis Heaphy (233).

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Ford Trophy 2023-24 Most Wickets List

Sr. No	Player	Mat	Inns	Balls	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5
1	KDC Clarke (ND)	8	7	372	62	5	336	18	5/67	18.66	5.41	20.66	-	1
2	RL Toole (CD)	7	7	365	60.5	1	289	16	5/72	18.06	4.75	22.81	-	1
3	W O'Rourke (CANT)	6	6	306	51	3	227	13	6/20	17.46	4.45	23.53	-	1
4	AF Milne (WELL)	6	6	288	48	6	188	12	5/24	15.66	3.91	24	-	1
5	BM Tickner (CD)	7	7	378	63	9	253	11	3/38	23	4.01	34.36	-	-
6	ZGF Foulkes (CANT)	7	7	317	52.5	4	262	10	3/15	26.2	4.95	31.7	-	-
7	BNJ Lockrose (OTAGO)	7	6	308	51.2	3	258	9	3/30	28.66	5.02	34.22	-	-
8	MJ Fisher (ND)	7	6	324	54	3	278	9	5/46	30.88	5.14	36	-	1
9	TJG Pringle (ND)	8	7	388	64.4	1	281	9	3/33	31.22	4.34	43.11	-	-
10	PF Younghusband (WELL)	7	7	318	53	1	291	9	2/36	32.33	5.49	35.33	-	-

Northern Districts' Kristian Clarke continues to lead the wicket-taking charts in the Ford Trophy 2024. Clarke has accounted for 18 wickets from seven matches at an excellent average of 18.66 and an economy of 5.41.

Raymond Toole of the Central Districts occupies second place with 16 scalps from as many matches.

In third place is Canterbury's William O'Rourke, who has 13 wickets from six games. Wellington pace spearhead Adam Milne's 12 wickets put him fourth on the leaderboard.

Central Districts speedster Blair Tickner rounds off the top 5 with 11 wickets at a decent average of 23 and an economy rate of 4.01.

The remainder of the top 10 features: Auckland's Zakary Foulkes (10), Otago's Ben Lockrose (9), Northern's Matthew Fisher (9), and Tim Pringle (9), along with Wellington's Peter Younghusband (9).