Henry Nicholls
Chad Bowes
Scott Janett
Tom Latham
Leo Carter✱
Cole McConchie
James Hartshorn
Liam Dudding
Logan van Beek
Yahya Zeb
Oscar Jackson
Samuel Morgan
Nick Greenwood
Gareth Severin
Jesse Tashkoff
Muhammad Abbas
Kyle Jamieson
Angus McKenzie
Lachie Harper
Cameron Paul
Raunaq Kapur
Henry Nicholls' towering 119 turned the tide at the Basin Reserve on a chilly Saturday morning, as Canterbury chased down Wellington's modest total with ease. The moment he lofted a six over mid‑wicket, the crowd knew the match was already decided – a classic display of power hitting in the Wellington vs Canterbury List A clash.
Match Summary
Winning the toss, Wellington elected to bowl under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 12.8 °C and a mere 1% chance of rain. Their decision backfired as Canterbury's openers steadied the innings, setting a platform for a massive total of 350‑5 in 50 overs. Henry Nicholls, the former Black Caps skipper, smashed 119 runs off 121 balls, while Chad Bowes contributed a quick‑fire 64 off 64.
Wellington's reply never recovered from early setbacks. Despite a resilient 55 from Gareth Severin, the team slumped to 141‑10 in just 32.2 overs. Angus McKenzie and Lachie Harper shared the wickets, finishing with figures of 1/24 in 7 overs and 2/30 in 7 overs respectively. The final result left Canterbury cruising to a 209‑run victory.
Key Performances
Henry Nicholls (Canterbury) – 119 runs off 121 balls, 14 fours, 2 sixes. His innings anchored the chase, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries.
Chad Bowes (Canterbury) – 64 runs off 64 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes. Bowes provided the momentum after Nicholls, ensuring the run‑rate never dipped.
Gareth Severin (Wellington) – 55 runs off 80 balls, a lone bright spot in Wellington's batting collapse.
Angus McKenzie (Wellington) – 1/24 in 7 overs, bowled with discipline but lacked support.
Lachie Harper (Wellington) – 2/30 in 7 overs, the most effective bowler for the home side.
Turning Points
The first major turning point arrived in the 10th over of Canterbury's innings when Nicholls struck a boundary off a full toss, shifting the momentum and silencing the home crowd. His partnership with Bowes, worth 150 runs for the third wicket, effectively put the game out of Wellington's reach.
Wellington's batting collapse began with the early dismissal of Samuel Morgan for 28, leaving the team at 30‑2. The subsequent loss of Gareth Severin, despite his half‑century, exposed a fragile middle order that could not rebuild the innings.
In the death overs, Canterbury accelerated, adding 70 runs in the final 10 overs, a testament to their depth and the aggressive intent of Nicholls and Bowes.
Series Implications
This emphatic win propels Canterbury to the top of the The Ford Trophy 2026-27 table, reinforcing their dominance with a superior net run rate. Wellington, now with three wins out of ten all‑time encounters against Canterbury, must regroup quickly as the tournament progresses.
For Canterbury cricket today, the performance highlights a batting line‑up in peak form, ready to challenge for the trophy. Wellington will look to their bowlers, especially McKenzie and Harper, to tighten the attack in upcoming fixtures.
Fans tracking the Wellington List A score and Canterbury cricket today can follow live updates via the official Ford Trophy portal, where the The Ford Trophy 2026-27 live score continues to draw attention across New Zealand.