ND unbeaten after Aces trumped again

Defending Ford Trophy champions the Auckland Aces fought hard in their second encounter at Cobham Oval, but collectively they paid didn't put enough runs on the board on a decent deck.

Aces captain Robbie O'Donnell got off to a good enough start by winning the toss and electing to bat - and he got to watch his younger brother Will O'Donnell reach a maiden List A half century.

But the rest of the top order went back in empty-handed after ND's Jake Gibson (3-56) made an exciting start with the ball, claiming the top three wickets inside the first power play.

It was left to Aces debutant Ross Ter Braak to rustle up an unbeaten 80-run stand with BLACKCAP Will Somerville (39*) to get the Aces up to some sort of score: 202/7 off their 50 overs, but an RPO of just four would put pressure on the bowling attack in the second innings.

ND's batsmen showed how it was done in reply, Jeet Raval and Katene Clarke putting on 52 for the first wicket.

They set the stage for Bharat Popli to follow up with an unbeaten 57 as he anchored the rest of the chase.

Louis Delport and Ryan Harrison both claimed 2-26 | PHOTOSPORT

Popli shared a 65-run stand for the fourth with captain Anton Devcich, then a 59-run stand with Brett Hampton to keep ND well in control of their chase.

The hosts ticked off the winning runs with 6.4 overs to spare to go two from two, before hitting the road to play early leaders Canterbury in Christchurch this Sunday and Tuesday

The Aces meanwhile return to their home base of Eden Park Outer Oval looking to get their campaign up and running against the unbeaten Otago Volts.