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The Wellington Blaze and Central Stags picked up victories at the Cello Basin Reserve today.
Wellington Blaze vs Central Hinds:
Wellington continued its winning start to the Super Smash with a comfortable eight-wicket win over the Central Hinds.
All the Wellington players once again showed they are regarded as the best team in the competition, with performances spread across both innings.
It was spinner Xara Jetly who kicked off the early success with the wickets of Mikaela Greig and Thamsyn Newton in the opening over.
Central’s total of 113 was off the back of two partnerships that English international Hollie Armitage set with her 47 from 42. She was provided support by Flora Devonshire (13), who fell hit wicket to Leigh Kasperek and Georgia Atkinson (11) who was dismissed by Jetly.
Jetly and Jess Kerr were both on the money with their bowling right throughout the Hinds innings and took three wickets each.
Hinds debutant Aniela Apperley struck eight runs at number 11 and her 12 run stand with Ocean Bartlett did help the Hinds put further runs on the board after the unfortunate run out of Kate Gaging for 11.
Kasperek wasn’t able to get through her overs falling to a potential finger injury when she attempted to catch a ball that was hit straight back to her off her bowling.
Wellington never looked like they wouldn’t chase down the total as they raced out to 80 runs at the halfway mark of their innings for no loss.
Rebecca Burns, who was moved up to open following Ellyse Perry’s departure back to Australia, showed why she was given that opportunity.
She took to the Central bowlers early on in the powerplay as the Blaze rushed out to 37 after four overs alongside fellow opener Melie Kerr.
A fourth T20 half-century came to Burns from 32 balls but she found herself not able to add any more with Rosemary Mair striking to break the stand.
Jess Kerr joined her sister in the middle and played a quick innings of 22 from 19, falling with four runs left for the Blaze to take victory.
Melie Kerr (34*) and Caitlin King (0*) ensured that the Blaze got home without further loss and with just over five overs to spare.
Wellington Firebirds vs Central Stags:
The Central Stags picked up a final ball-thrilling win with a high fixture taking place.
Wellington and Blackcaps T20 opener, Tim Robinson showed his continued success at the domestic level as he struck a fourth Super Smash half-century and looked certain to convert it to a second T20 century, but fell 11 runs short.
Early wickets were not possible for the visitors with a couple of near chances not helping their efforts as Robinson and Blundell put on 98 for the first wicket in just over ten overs. Brett Randell made the breakthrough when he had Blundell for 29.
After the platform had been laid by the openers it allowed Nick Kelly to get into his innings early and smash three boundaries in his 32-run stay at the crease, before falling to Randell when he was trying to up the run rate.
Robinson had been slowing his innings down as he neared the hundred-run mark as the fatigue set in for him. He looked to come down the wicket to attack spinner Jayden Lennox but was instead stumped by Dane Cleaver for 89.
Debutant Toby Findlay bowled a tight penultimate over, only going for eight runs and the Firebirds looked at potentially setting a total around the 190-run mark.
A couple of early boundaries by Jesse Tashkoff and Logan van Beek in the final over did allow them to get to 189 by the time van Beek became Blair Tickner’s 100th Super Smash wicket.
Muhammad Abbas finished on 2* whilst Tashkoff made 12* with the Firebirds posting 192 and setting up a big chase for the Stags.
Ben Sears picked up a wicket on his return to professional cricket following a knee injury that has kept him out of the game since last April’s T20 international tour of Pakistan with Curtis Heaphy trapped leg before for 17.
Jack Boyle and Dane Cleaver ensured that Central stayed in the game throughout their time in the middle with a 123-run stand for the second wicket taking the visitors to 148/2 when Boyle fell.
It was Abbas who made the breakthrough with Boyle being caught by Nick Kelly for a new high score in T20s of 77.
Cleaver went not long after to Sears for 46 and the game had started to pause in the momentum for the Stags.
Captain Tom Bruce struck 19 from 14, but after a couple of dots in the penultimate over he tried to take on van Beek, instead finding the hands of Tashkoff in the deep.
With van Beek going for only three runs it meant that 16 was required from the final six balls. This came down to 13 from four when Angus Schaw and Will Clark scored those three runs together from the first two balls.
Clark then took to James Hartshorn taking 16 runs from the final four balls with a six and two fours for the Stags to take a six-wicket win.
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