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With the dust still settling on that dramatic test victory from the Black Caps at the Basin Reserve, Canterbury opener Chad Bowes brought the Bazball revolution to the Plunket Shield.
Bowes blasted a century before lunch on the opening morning of Canterbury’s four-day clash with Otago on Monday.
Bazball has been one of the buzzwords of the summer with Brendon McCullum’s England dominating with their ultra-aggressive approach before landing in New Zealand and eventually – after one of the greatest test matches in the history of the game – drawing the series 1-1 with the Black Caps.
Bowes channelled the Bazball energy after Canterbury captain Cole McConchie won the toss at University Oval in Dunedin and asked Otago to bowl.
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Despite losing his opening partner, Rhys Mariu, in the fifth over for just four, Bowes went into beast mode in the opening session.
The first milestone came up in just 38 minutes, Canterbury’s 50 which arrived in just 8.5 overs at an England-like run rate of 5.88. Bowes’ own half-century was next up, a 39-ball knock that included eight fours and two sixes. By that stage, the match was only 49 minutes old.
Blake Armstrong/Photosport
Chad Bowes raises his bat after bringing up a day one, first session century before lunch.
McConchie, who had joined Bowes at the fall of the first wicket, wasn’t mucking around either. After just one hour and 11 minutes of play, the pair had taken Canterbury’s team score past 100 in 16.5 overs at a rate better than six an over – more than respectable in a 50-over match, but bordering on the outrageous on the opening morning of a Plunket Shield encounter.
With the game only one hour and 47 minutes old, Bowes brought up his century in just 69 balls.
Bowes’ 12th first-class century was the second fastest for Canterbury in a first-class match, trailing only Dick Motz’s 63-ball hundred against Otago at Lancaster Park in the 1967-68 season.
His luck eventually ran out when he nicked one to Otago wicket-keeper Max Chu, from the bowling of Jake Gibson, to be dismissed for 118. Bowes’ 82 ball, 135-minute stay at the crease delivered 16 fours, three sixes and all the momentum to Canterbury.
McConchie was dismissed by Jacob Duffy for 81, Mitchell Hay then made 89 before getting caught on the pull before Canterbury made it to stumps on 387-7.
Blake Armstrong/Photosport
Chad Bowes was eventually dismissed, just before lunch, for 118 from just 82 balls.
Northern Districts hold all the cards against the Central Stags after Mitchell Santner took his overnight score of 75 and turned it into 136 on day two at Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval.
On Sunday, Jeet Raval (119) and Bharat Popli (105) also scored centuries.
Central eventually bowled Northern out in the middle session on Monday for 513 and in reply struggled along to 190-6 at stumps, with Brad Schmulian (79 not out) being the shining light.
Santner claimed two wickets late in the day to go with his big score with the bat.
Meanwhile, Auckland also surpassed the 500 mark on day two of their match against the Wellington Firebirds, posting 508 after captain Robbie O’Donnell declared just six wickets down.
Opener Sean Solia made 151 and Mark Chapman 145 as the pair put on a second wicket stand of 249 – a second wicket record for Auckland, at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.
By stumps on day two, Wellington were in all sorts of bother at 78-4.
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