We predicted Auckland to win. This was a coin flip — we leaned Auckland. On the day of the match, Central Districts won the toss and elected to field first at McLean Park in Napier. Auckland's opening batsmen faced an aggressive start from the Central Districts' bowlers, posting a total of 126 runs before being all out in their allocated overs, losing eight wickets.

In response, Central Districts showcased a dominant batting performance. They reached Auckland's score with eight wickets in hand and 16 balls remaining, securing an impressive victory by eight wickets. Their strategy of limiting the damage early on and accelerating through the middle overs proved decisive.

In summary, despite our prediction, Central Districts emerged triumphant in a thrilling encounter at McLean Park. The match was a close call, and Central Districts' execution was superior on the day, making it clear they had other ideas beyond what we anticipated.