NZ batter Bevon Jacobs smacks 21 sixes in 137-ball 202 for Auckland in Ford Trophy

Bevon, who recently impressed in the five-match T20I series against India, scored a magnificent 202 in 137 balls, laced with seven fours and a whopping 21 sixes, scoring at a strike rate of 147.44.

His 21 sixes are the second-highest by a batter in a List-A inning, with the record in the hands of Australian batter D'arcy Short, who smacked a 148-ball 257 for Western Australia against Queensland in 2018, with his knock having 23 sixes to go along with 15 fours.

He joined NZ legend Martin Guptil (237* in 163 balls), Jamie How (222 in 138 balls) and Chad Bowes (205 in 110 balls) as fourth Kiwi batter to score a double ton in List A men's cricket. This is also the third century in Ford Trophy history.

With no other batter reaching the 50-run mark and Lachlan Stackpole (46 in 45 balls, with six fours and a six) being the second-highest run-scorer, Auckland made 334/8 in 50 overs.

Otago chased the total with five wickets and five balls in hand, courtesy fifties from Max Chu (75* in 55 balls, with eight fours and two sixes), Jack Boyle (62 in 61 balls, with five fours and a six), Thorn Parkes (55 in 63 balls, with seven fours) and late flourish from Tom Jones (31 in 19 balls, with two fours and a six) and Jamal Todd (21* in eight balls, with eight sixes).

In his Ford Trophy career, Bevon has made 870 runs in 31 matches and 27 innings at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 108.75, with a century and four fifties. In his List A career, he has made 870 runs in 33 matches and 29 innings at an average of 36.25, with a strike rate of 107.80, with a century and four fifties.

Bevon has represented Kiwis in 16 T20Is since his debut in 2025, scoring 319 runs in 14 innings at an average of 31.90 and a strike rate of 144.34, with two fifties, including best score of 62*. In the recent T20I series against India, he made 136 runs across five innings at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 146.23, with a fifty. (ANI)