A phenomenal bowling performance, led by Blackcap Lockie Ferguson, has helped Auckland Aces crush Otago Volts by eight wickets in Wednesday's Super Smash match at Queenstown.
Fresh from hitting the winning runs in Auckland's victory over Central Districts on Monday, Ferguson shone with the ball this time, taking a match-turning 4/19 from his four over spell to restrict Otago to 129/9 from their 20 overs.
Ferguson was supported ably by Benjamin Lister (2/14), Sean Solia (1/25), Will Somerville (1/27) and Adithya Ashok (1/31) with the ball.
And chasing a target just over a run-a-ball, the international duo of George Worker (53 not out) and Mark Chapman (55) eased Auckland home with 17 balls to spare for their third consecutive win at 130/2.
After Otago won the toss and chose to bat first, Ferguson struck twice in his first over and had rival captain Hamish Rutherford caught at mid-off by Robert O'Donnell for 11, and Neil Broom caught behind by Ben Horne for a second ball duck.
Two overs later, Ferguson had Josh Tasman-Jones out hooking, caught by George Worker coming off the rope at fine leg to have Otago 70/3.
Nick Kelly resisted the top order's departure, scoring 58 from 39 balls, but when he fell to Blackcaps spinner Somerville, Otago's hopes of a competitive first innings score were all but gone.
Ferguson had his fourth in the penultimate over of the innings, as Jacob Duffy holed out to deep midwicket for a first-ball duck, as Otago could only muster 129/9 from their 20 overs.
Hopes of an unlikely Volts victory were boosted in the opening over of Auckland's chase, as Martin Guptill departed for one run, caught by Rutherford off the bowling of Matthew Bacon.
But any Auckland nerves were allayed by George Worker and Mark Chapman, who added 106 for the second wicket. Chapman struck a fluent 55 from 42 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes, before he was out caught and bowled by Beckham Wheeler-Greenall.
Worker pressed on to his own half-century after Chapman's dismissal, now joined by Glenn Phillips (14 not out) with the target only 19 runs away.
Worker stayed not out, and hit the winning runs with a miscued pull shot off Angus McKenzie that fell in a gap at fine leg, seeing the Auckland pair run back for two to complete victory.
The win sees Auckland sit fourth on the Super Smash ladder with three wins and 12 points, just two shy of leaders Northern Brave, and behind second-placed Canterbury Kings and third-placed Central Stags on net run rate.
Otago meanwhile sit bottom of the table with just one win from their opening seven matches, two points shy of fifth-placed Wellington.
