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The Auckland Hearts and Central Stags picked up crucial wins at Napier's McLean Park on Wednesday.
Auckland Hearts vs Central Hinds:
A ninth Super Smash half-century by Auckland Hearts captain Maddy Green led her side to a nine-run victory against the Central Hinds in Napier.
Struggling openers Saachi Shahri (1) and Izzy Gaze (15) fell inside the first seven overs with Claudia Green grabbing Shahri and Gaze falling to Ocean Bartlett.
An important partnership for the fourth wicket between Lauren Down (25) and Green swung the momentum back to the Hearts after Bartlett had picked up her second wicket when she had Brooke Halliday caught by Hollie Armitage for three.
Just as Auckland was building up a 64-run stand between Down and Green, the Hinds managed to strike with Georgia Atkinson coming in for her only over of the innings. Atkinson beat Down’s bat to have her bowled for 25 with the Hearts sitting at 117/4 with just over three overs left.
A late ten from eight by Bella Armstrong allowed the Hearts to finish on 139 with Rowe picking up the late wickets of Green and Armstrong whilst Claudia Green grabbed Prue Catton for a duck.
A career-best 48 at the top of the order by Kerry Tomlinson was the vital cog in the Hinds innings.
The Hinds top order has struggled throughout the season to build a solid partnership up the top but Hollie Armitage (10) and Tomlinson got them to 22 when Armitage went to Amie Hucker in the fifth over.
Having played her 100th Super Smash match in the previous game, Thamsyn Newton needed to show the Hinds coaches that she could contribute and did just that alongside Tomlinson.
They managed to put up a solid 52-run stand for the second wicket to give the Hinds the upper hand heading into the back half of the chase.
Prue Catton was required to bowl a few overs after Brooke Halliday had succumbed to an injury off her bowling. Catton delivered with the partnership-breaking wicket, trapping Newton's leg before for 12.
The big moment came for the Hearts when Tomlinson was found just short of her ground as she tried to run a second run-off Catton in the 15th over. Some smart keeping by Gaze had her out for a career-best knock and the Hinds with two new batters at the crease.
With the run rate climbing some big shots would be needed for the Central side to get home, but it led to the fall of three quick wickets. Flora Devonshire was stumped for 11 as she tried to take on Fran Jonas whilst Molly Penfold had both Mikaela Greig (1) and Atkinson (4).
Despite a 19th over that was taken for 19 runs by Rowe (19) and Kate Gaging (13*) it was not enough for Hinds as Bree Illing only managed to go for six from the final over as the Hearts grabbed a nine-run win.
Auckland Aces vs Central Stags:
A fast start with the bat by the Auckland Aces wasn’t enough in Napier with Jack Boyle’s 82* helping take the Central Stags to their fourth victory of the season.
Will O’Donnell (32) and Simon Keene (31) got their side off to a fast start after being sent in by Central captain Tom Bruce but did lose the wicket of Keene to Toby Findlay in the final over of the powerplay.
From there, however, the Aces run rate started to slow down and that led to the dismissal of O’Donnell to Findlay as he tried to take him on but found the hands of Curtis Heaphy in the deep.
Tight bowling from Central spinner Jayden Lennox (3/10 from four) had him with the wickets of Bevon-John Jacobs (0) and Sean Solia (18) in his opening two overs.
Having smoked a six into the Graeme Lowe Stand off Angus Schaw, Cam Fletcher departed the next ball for 18 and it left the Aces in trouble at 114/5.
Continued tight bowling from Brett Randell, Findlay, and Lennox meant that the Aces batters needed to go after them in the final few overs. Lachlan Stackpole, in his third match, fell leg before to Lennox for seven.
Jock McKenzie (5) and Riley Mudford (0) both fell in the penultimate over and it meant the Stags only conceded three runs from it as well.
Despite a couple of fours in the final over from Danru Ferns (12*), the Aces could only put 139 on the board.
Boyle and Heaphy got their side off to a quick start as they raced out to 32 inside four overs when the Aces struck with O’Donnell bowling Heaphy for ten.
Dane Cleaver tried to take on debutant Anugs Olliver however found the hands of Stackpole for nine, potentially giving the Aces an edge back into the game at 64/2.
From there, however, Bruce (39*) and Boyle played the deliveries at their merits and took to the bad balls when they came to guide the Stags through to an eight-wicket win.
The victory for the Stags meant they stayed in second place with 16 points, two behind the Otago Volts.
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