Central Stags allrounder and former Nelson player Josh Clarkson is in the form of his life as the team prepares for a season-defining game in Nelson starting this weekend.
In the last three weeks, Josh has smashed his long-awaited maiden first-class century in a big win against Plunket Shield-leaders Canterbury before a career-best one-day century against Canterbury again in the final of the one-day Ford Trophy on Tuesday.
Now the Stags are getting ready to play the Auckland Aces at the Saxton Oval in a rescheduled game from Cyclone Gabrielle that now decides the fate of the first-class Plunket Shield as they look to snatch it from Canterbury's grasp.
All the Stags need is 14 points from the season-ending four-day game against Auckland to overtake on the championship ladder, starting Saturday at 10am with free admission.
With 12 points for a win, six for a tie and four if the match is abandoned, as well as up to eight extra points on offer for bowling and batting, there are multiple paths to victory for the home side.
The Stags are also the only team that can still win two of New Zealand Cricket’s three domestic men’s trophies, and Nelson College old boy Josh says it’s been a whole-team effort, despite his own standout performances.
“Everyone has played their part over the long season, and it’s been good to have guys come in and perform because we need that depth now that a few of our BLACKCAPS are away.
“But for me, I trained hard all off-season and I'm just p[eased to put in a performance like that [in The Ford Trophy final] and get the win fror the team.
"I was keeping it pretty simple - see the ball, hit the ball. I try not to Change too much, and it’s nice to go into what’s essentially another final for us feeling pretty confident."
He’s seeing it like a watermelon in fact, and since successfully coming back from shoulder surgery a couple of seasons ago, Clarkson’s pace bowling has also been invaluable to the side - as he also showed in The Ford Trophy Grand Final in Napier where he combined with spinner Jayden Lennox to squeeze the life out of the Canterbury innings through the middle.
Canterbury had got off to a good start after electing to bat but the Stags pair was a deadly combo for 15 overs together, Clarkson beginning his spell in spectacular fashion with a key wicket first ball.
Clarkson then claimed another dangerman in Cam Fletcher during a tight seven-over stint that saw the Stags numb Canterbury’s run rate and swing the match right back in their favour.
They ended up restricting Canterbury to just 212/9 in the 50 overs, setting a gettable 213 chase for victory.
Although Canterbury again took an early advantage with the ball, Clarkson and Tom Bruce took the team from 49/4 to the win at 216/4 with a record unbroken partnership.
Clarkson had starred with bat and ball, taking 3/30 and smashing his unbeaten 111 off just 78 balls.
He had brought up his 50 with a monster six that cleared the Lowe Stand roof, and he’s already shown this summer that he can be just as brutal against the red leather ball as the white one.
He backed up his maiden century in Rangiora with a key half century in the next game as the Stags took the full 20 points from two consecutive matches, and now here they are still contending for the silverware.
The coveted Plunket Shield dates back to the start of the 20th century and if the Stags can show the same form against the Auckland Aces, they will lift the first-class trophy for the first time since 2019.
That was fellow Nelson representative Greg Hay’s first summer as captain, and the evergreen veteran Hay will be back at the helm this weekend for his 98th first-class match.
The Aces headed into this season as the defending champion, but have already been knocked out of contention (along with Otago, Northern Districts and Wellington) by Canterbury and the Stags.
The Aucklanders will still be fired up to finish their season on a high, however, as the match will be their BLACKCAPS Test spinner Will Somerville’s last game before retirement.
Whilsts the scheduled start for Saturday is 10.30am, play is scheduled to start half an hour earlier on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at 10am, after daylight saving ends. For event information and score updates, visit www.ccricket.co.nz
