The CENTRAL STAGS are New Zealand Dream11 Super Smash champions after an outstanding 2024/25 campaign that culminated in a well controlled six-wicket win over the Canterbury Kings at the Wellington Grand Final.

The title is a special one for the team after a string of frustrating fourths, nailing their first Grand Final since the last time the Stags lifted the trophy in 2018/19.

It was TOM BRUCE's second T20 title as captain, and adds to the team's successes in The Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield in recent seasons.

BLAIR TICKNER (16 wickets) led the way as the country's top wicket-taker, JAYDEN LENNOX took the most catches in the competition and Bruce (339 runs) and opener JACK BOYLE (285 runs) starred as two of the top three batters in the men's Super Smash this season.

The Central Stags qualified top of the table and defeated a strong Kings side that boasted an all-BLACKCAPS attack, by six wickets, after sending in the Kings and chasing down their middling 135/8 in the Cello Basin Reserve sunshine.

Unlike the tug-of-war women’s Grand Final that oscillated between the two finalists (Wellington Blaze edging the Otago Sparks), the men’s trophy match saw the Stags control their destiny for most of the game, pretty much from the moment the Bruce won the toss and elected to bowl. 

Bruce was in commanding form this season with a 157.67 strike rate and now the Kings must wear the bridesmaids tag for a further 12 months, after a remarkable five straight years as the unsuccessful Grand Finalist, and 19 seasons since their last and only T20 title.

Their all-star bowling attack with Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke, Zak Foulkes and Ish Sodhi had served them so well in the brutal Elimination Final against Northern Brave on the previous day, but they came up short against a Central team that had an aura of calmness and some less experienced faces performing key roles.

At just 21, TOBY FINDLAY (son of former Stag, CRAIG FINDLAY) emerged as an exciting asset for the team in his first Dream11 Super Smash summer.

Findlay had debuted in the first-class Plunket Shield two years earlier as a concussion substitute for BRETT RANDELL. This season was the Napier youngster’s first as a contracted player, and his first playing white-ball for the team, his primary role as a pace bowler.

He kept his cool to take 3/29 in the Grand Final, including the huge wicket of Daryl Mitchell who was caught by Lennox on 46.

Lennox finished with the equal most catches this season alongside Otago Volt Dale Phillips — they both held on to 11 of them, including an outstanding diving effort from Lennox in Nelson.

Lennox and ANGUS SCHAW, 30-year-olds with plenty of cricket experiences, have emerged from the shadow of premier Stags spinner AJAZ PATEL over recent times, and were the two frontline spinners for the champions — Patel having had the bad luck to miss the entire campaign as he recuperates from a knee injury. 

Schaw had debuted in early 2023, but this was his first full campaign, and he contributed not only with the ball, but as the team’s finisher with the bat — winning crucial, tight games in that role alongside WILL CLARK and CURTIS HEAPHY who brought the finesse.

With no DOUG BRACEWELL (the class allrounder pursuing overseas opportunities), Patel, SETH RANCE (retired and enjoying the game as a spectator yesterday) or, for a number of their games, including the Grand Final, JOSH CLARKSON (impending fatherhood), this was effectively a fresh-look Stags squad that did the job.

The team now has just a few days to catch their breath before the men’s white-ball season continues, with the back half of the one-day Ford Trophy beginning on Waitangi Day, 6 February in Auckland (Stags versus Aces), Dunedin and Wellington.

The Stags have some catch-up to do in that competition, currently in the bottom two, with the Auckland Aces and Canterbury in the top two slots after the first half of the one-day championship having been played before Christmas.

The women’s one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield resumes on Saturday, 8 February in Auckland, Wellington and New Plymouth (Central Hinds), with four regular season games to go to determine the finalists and the Hinds in second spot on the table.

2024/25 Dream11 Super Smash GRAND FINALS

Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington

Sunday, 2 February 2025

Otago Sparks Q1 lost to Wellington Blaze by 8 runs

SCORECARD

Central Stags Q1 beat Canterbury Kings by 6 wickets

SCORECARD

Article added: Monday 3 February 2025