Central Stags 147-8 in 20 overs (Dean Foxcroft 63, Kyle Abbott 2-29, Ish Sodhi 2-30) beat the Knights 80 all out in 14.4 overs (Ajaz Patel 3-24, Adam Milne 3-12, Doug Bracewell 2-10) by 67 runs at Seddon Park, Hamilton.
Dean Foxcroft's 63 runs and a smothering performance in the field has handed the Central Stags a 67 run win and the Burger King Super Smash title at Seddon Park this afternoon.
Batting first, their 147-8 looked light, but their attack never let the Knights batters get traction, taking wickets and applying serious scoreboard pressure, dismissing the Knights for 80 runs in the 15th over.
The Stags played the better finals cricket, and having lost the last two Super Smash finals, this win will be sweet.
The Knights welcomed back Tim Southee and Mitchell Santner from BLACKCAPS duty, but South African import Kyle Abbott did the early damage, removing openers Will Young for a duck and George Worker for 13.
Coming in at three, Dean Foxcroft was the only batsman in the match to score over 18, playing a well-timed innings by pushing singles and twos into space, and hiting seven fours and two huge sixes high onto the bank.
The Knights fielding was sharp, with Tim Seifert taking four catches behind the stumps, and Daniel Flynn and Tim Southee both taking tough chances to keep the pressure on.
Foxcroft ended on 63 from 50 balls, going in the 16th over to a fine Tim Southee caught and bowled. Adam Milne (14) and Ajaz Patel (12) contributed vital runs in the closing overs.
Abbott (2-29), Ish Sodhi (2-30) and Santner (2-23 from three) were the standouts with the ball as the Stags made 147-8 from their 20.
Nick Kelly (4) went in the second over, and Seifert looked in good touch early but skied Adam Milne to Dane Cleaver when he was on 18.
The Central Stags bowlers were miserly defending the low total - and the pressure brought wickets. Too many of the Knights batsmen came undone going for the big shots, with Dean Brownlie (15), Corey Anderson (2) and Daniel Flynn (7) all caught on the rope.
Wickets tumbled and the end came quickly at the close - Ajaz Patel took 3-24, Adam Milne 3-12 and Doug Bracewell returned 2-10 as well as grabbing three catches, as the Stags claimed the title by 67 runs.
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