The Northern Knights have kicked off their 2018 Burger King Super Smash campaign with a win over Wellington Firebirds in Seddon Park.
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The hosts set a massive score of 215/6 off their 20 overs thanks to a stunning innings from batsmen Dean Brownlie who fell for 99 off 46 balls in an innings that had 16 boundaries - six sixes and 10 fours.
Anton Devcich fell for a duck on the second ball of the innings but Tim Seifert and Brownlie got the hosts back on track putting together a 72 run partnership for the second wicket.
The visitors got off to the perfect start and Devon Conway was looking dangerous scoring 45 off 23 balls. Blackcaps spinner Ish Sodhi dismissed the South African with a googly to get rid of the danger man.
Adam Hose and James Neesham (22) put together a partnership through the middle of the innings but Scott Kuggeleijn ended that in the 11th over, dismissing Hose for 36 off 21 balls.
Sodhi got rid of Neesham the next over to put the visitors on the back foot.
The Firebirds targeted Kuggeleijn throughout the innings as he got hit for 58 off 3.4 overs before he was removed for bowling two high no-balls.
Michael Pollard (24) and Tom Blundell (20) fell in quick succession which gave the Knights the opening they needed to close the game.
Luke Woodcock (1) and Malcolm Nofal (6) weren't able to get the visitors over the line as the Knights went on to win by 45 runs.
Newshub.
