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Max Chu coming through!

Posted Sunday, 29 December, 2024 in

Otago Volt Max Chu is in cracking form this summer — and he only emphasised it by more than doubling his previous T20 career best in his first Dream11 Super Smash knock in the Volts’ 2024/25 season opener.

The 24-year-old keeper-batter headed into the game at Molyneux Park with a previous PB of 34 not out from 36 games, albeit often tucked down the order.

Now that player card is looking a whole lot more handsome, with a glossy new career best of 82 off just 46 rocks.

It was an explosive assault on the strong Canterbury Kings attack that included Kyle Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Ish Sodhi.

It came off the back of decent form in five rounds of the one-day Ford Trophy, and Chu's second first-class century — a Plunket Shield career-best 130, also against Canterbury in the last match before the Dream11 Super Smash got underway.

Is this finally the break-out summer of Max Chu?

The homegrown Dunedin left-hander shrugged off the pressure of captaining the Volts to top-score in the big T20 against the Kings, slamming seven boundaries and three sixes after moving up to first drop.

He’s standing in as skipper with regular captain, allrounder Luke Georgeson injured; Dean Foxcroft having conciously stepped back from the role ahead of this season, and another former Volts captain Jacob Duffy away with the BLACKCAPS.

The towering presence of Jamieson, with his fearsome ability to extract bounce, made an immediate impact with two quick wickets at the top, and Chu came in at 5/1 in the first over.

He rebuilt in a hurry with Foxcroft and later had invaluable support from ex-King Leo Carter.

But Chu led from the front, all the way into the 18th over.

PHOTOSPORT

Striking at around 178, his maiden T20 50 came off 40 balls, and his crisp, exciting hitting proved essential to his team’s cause — the Volts going on to win by just 10 runs.

What a start from the Volts! | PHOTOSPORT

The game wasthe first of three Otago Sparks and Volts doubleheaders in a row in beautiful Central Otago, the teams back at Molyneux Park today to host the Auckland Hearts and defending men’s champion Aces — a big second-round game for all concerned.

Then on New Year’s Eve arvo, the Central Hinds and Central Stags come to the holiday town to start their own campaign.

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