Wellington Firebirds team named for Super Smash elimination

Cricket Wellington Media Release

Wednesday 4th January

Wellington Firebirds team named for McDonald's Super Smash elimination

final against the Kings

The Wellington Firebirds team to play the McDonald’s Super Smash elimination final against the Kings at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on Thursday 5th January has been named. The match starts at 4:10pm and is live on Sky Sport.

The exciting conclusion to the Super Smash round robin saw the Firebirds defeat the Otago Volts in a rain-affected 5-over match which was eventually decided in a super over. While the result ensured a finals spot for the Wellington side, they had to wait for the result of the Aces v Stags game before the venue could be confirmed as the Basin Reserve. Although the Volts match was severely reduced, Head Coach Bruce Edgar felt that playing was a fair way to end the season:

We were fortunate to get a game in and not have our season end on a no result. We’ve gone through this entire competition without having rain impact on our games so being able to play some cricket, regardless of the outcome, felt like a fair way to end.

The Firebirds are the first side to make the finals after losing their first four matches in the competition, but Edgar says his side never gave up hope:

We always thought we were playing good cricket, and they were very narrow losses to start the campaign. We knew that we just needed a momentum shift and we certainly got that with five wins over the last six games. If you asked me which end of the season I’d rather have those wins, I’d say we got it about right.

The Wellington Firebirds squad is:

Hamish Marshall (C) Brent Arnel Hamish Bennett

Tom Blundell Grant Elliott Stephen Murdoch

Michael Papps Jeetan Patel Michael Pollard Matt Taylor

Anurag Verma Luke Woodcock

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