The Auckland Aces are set to compete against Northern Districts in the 28th encounter of the Super Smash 2023-24 at the Kennards Hire Community Oval in Auckland on January 20. The Auckland Aces lead the points table with five victories in eight fixtures. Meanwhile, Northern Districts are positioned at the bottom, having participated in seven matches and clinched just two of them.
In their previous match, the Auckland Aces faced off against the Central Stags, winning the toss and opting to field. For the Central Stags, Dane Cleaver notched the highest runs (87), with William Clark following closely with 39 runs. Despite losing five wickets, the Central Stags managed to score 173 runs. When it was the Auckland Aces’ turn to bat, Cam Fletcher and William O’Donnell both contributed 45 runs. However, they fell short in chasing the target, concluding their innings at 158 runs for the loss of nine wickets and ultimately succumbing to a 15-run defeat.
Meanwhile, Northern Districts faced off against the Canterbury Kings in their recent outing, winning the toss and choosing to bowl first. The highest runs for the Canterbury Kings came from Chad Bowes with 85, followed by Tom Latham with 62 runs. The Canterbury Kings posted a total of 228 runs, losing six wickets in the process. In response, Tim Pringle top-scored for Northern Districts with 38 runs, while Katene Clarke followed with 32 runs. However, Northern Districts fell short in their chase and could only manage 138 runs for the loss of seven wickets, resulting in a 90-run defeat.
