Super Smash 2021-22 | Final | Northern Knights crush aside Canterbury Kings to win their third title

On January 29, 2022, at Seddon Park in Hamilton, the Northern Knights got crowned Super Smash champions for the 2021-22 season. It’s their third silverware in the competition's history. In the finals, their opponents Canterbury Kings were unable to bring the “A-game”.

After winning the toss, the Kings skipper Jeet Raval opted to field first. Tim Seifert, skipper Raval, and Colin de Grandhomme lost their cool early but that didn’t affect Katene Clarke’s aggressive batting approach. He added 77 runs for the first three wickets with the three aforementioned players.

Clarke then joined forces with Santner, and the pair put on 50 runs for the fourth wicket. Clarke was the next to depart, with a score of 71 from 34 balls to his name, including eight fours and four sixes.

Mitchell Santner then took control and smashed the Kings bowlers all over Seddon Park. With a 73-run fourth-wicket stand, he along with Cooper strangled the opposition. Santner was too good for the Kings as the Kiwi all-rounder took calculated risks and all of them paid off. Santner finished with 92* off 40 balls, including four fours and nine whopping maximums.

As a result, the Knights ended up with a high score of 217/5, all thanks to Santner and Clarke's outstanding knocks. Amid the chaos, Henry Shipley bowled well and took two crucial wickets.

Chasing 218 in any finals is too much to ask for and it happened the same with the Kings as well. There were no big contributions from the batters as they lost wickets at a rapid rate. 

Lower-order batter Matt Henry provided some entertainment for the audience with a quick cameo of 44 runs from 22 balls before being bowled by Tim Southee's searing yorker. They were soon skittled out for 161 runs in 18.5 overs. The Kings fell short of the silverware by 56 runs. 

Southee and Ish Sodhi bowled brilliantly, taking three wickets each, while Joe Walker bowled well for his couple of wickets. While Santner and Scott Kuggeleijn ended with a wicket each. 

Santner earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round performance. 

Brief Scores:

Canterbury Kings – 161 (18.5)

Matt Henry- 44(22), Tim Southee- 3/39(3.5)

Northern Knights- 217/5 (20) 

Mitchell Santner- 92(40)*, Henry Shipley-2/30(4)

Northern Knights won by 56 runs.