22 Dec 2016

Otago head off Central Districts in T20 record breaker

7:16 am on 22 December 2016

Otago have set a new domestic record in narrowly beating Central Districts in thrilling domestic Twenty20 cricket match in New Plymouth on Wednesday.

Batting first Otago made 249-3, helped by the small Pukekura Park boundaries, surpassing the previous best total of of 229-3.

Needing 250 to win the Central Disricts Stags scored 248-4 to lose by one run in the highest aggregate match the history of the format worldwide.

Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene Photo: Photosport

Requiring two to win off the last ball Stags batsman Stags batsman Dane Cleaver was run out going for a single which had tied the scores and sent the match into a Super Over.

Mahela Jayawardene starred for the Central Stags making 116 off 56 balls Otago's Hamish Rutherford had set up his side's total with 106 off only 50 deliveries.

Hamish Rutherford guided the Otago Volts to a record 249-3.

Hamish Rutherford guided the Otago Volts to a record 249-3. Photo: Photosport

Jayawardene's 116 is the second highest score in T20 domestic cricket behind only Martin Guptill's unbeaten 120.

While Otago's total of 249 was the seventh-highest Twenty20 team tally in history worldwide.