Kasperek, Jetly star as Hinds lose season opener - Vincent Jones

Kiwi Cricket Kōrero host and writer Vincent Jones writes on the fourth match of the Women’s Super Smash 2022–23 (originally written 27/12/22) Toss: Wellington Blaze won the toss and chose to bat

Central Hinds: Nat Dodd, Emily Cunningham, Jess Watkin, Kerry Tomlinson, Mikaela Greig, Hannah Rowe, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Claudia Green, Flora Devonshire

Wellington Blaze: Georgia Plimmer, Thamsyn Newton, Rebecca Burns, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Jessica McFadyen, Caitlin King, Xara Jetly, Maneka Singh

First Innings:

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Blaze had to face up to debutant, Flora Devonshire. With 8 runs coming from the first two overs and the Blaze wanting to try and attack, they finally were able to get through the next over. Claudia Green was pumped to the boundary for three fours by Georgia Plimmer, with Thamsyn Newton taking two more fours from the next over off Rosemary Mair’s bowling. The Hinds needed to make the breakthrough and after being hit for another four by Plimmer, she was finally out, caught by Ocean Bartlett from Green’s bowling. Rebecca Burns joined Newton and the two of them were carrying on this intent from the overs bowled by the pacers. Jess Watkin, made another breakthrough in the ninth over, with Burns hitting one straight back to her and leaving the Blaze on 66/2 after nine. After another tight over from Devonshire, the pressure was starting to build again for the Blaze to kick on. Georgia Atkinson was introduced into the attack and was able to strike in her first over getting the wicket of the ever-dangerous, Newton. A crucial partnership was being built between two of the senior players in the Blaze lineup (Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr). As their partnership started to build, so did the need for the Hinds to get a wicket. After a couple of overs that went for 10 and 11 runs, the experienced Rowe was able to strike and remove Green for 17. Leigh Kasperek partnered with Kerr to try and push the score along, but Kerr was some runout by Watkin from her own bowling. The runout didn’t affect the flow of the game as Kasperek was able to still counter the Central Hinds bowling and smash the ball to the boundary. A wicket fell in the last over with Kasperek trying to hit out and being caught on the boundary from a spectacular catch from Atkinson. The Blaze were able to get to 155/6 from their 20 overs. Kasperek and Newton both score 29 whilst Amelia Kerr scored 27. Rowe took two wickets and Green, Watkin and Atkinson all got one each.

Second Innings:

The Hinds knew they needed to get off to a fast start, and Nat Dodd and Emily Cunningham knew this. The Hinds didn’t get off to a solid start with Cunningham being caught behind by Jessica McFadyen from Jess Kerr’s bowling for zero. Jess Watkin arrived at the crease and tried to accelerate the run rate, hitting Kerr and Maneka Singh for sixes before trying to go again of Kerr but finding Maddy Green in the deep. Kerr was able to strike again on the last ball of her second over, removing Kerry Tomlinson for a duck. Mikaela Greig joined Dodd at the crease and if the Hinds were going to have any chance of winning, they needed to form a partnership together. The Hinds weren’t trying to accelerate the run rate during this partnership, they were more trying to work together and get the ones and twos. The 50 partnership was bought up in 48 balls, with Dodd contributing 27 and Greig 23. The partnership lasted no longer though as Kasperek was able to strike, removing Dodd for 37. Hannah Rowe came and went for 2, with Amelia Kerr getting her first wicket of the game. Rosemary Mair came in at number seven and joined Greig, but Greig didn’t last very long as she went for 27, with Xara Jetly picking up her wicket, stumped by McFadyen. Georgia Atkinson was the next in but departed three balls later for two. The Hinds lower order batters, had four overs to try and get some runs for their stats but Mair wasn’t able to make much use of this as she departed for eight. Claudia Green was able to register her high score in T20 cricket, making it to eight before she was also stumped by McFadyen in the last over from Jetly’s bowling. Devonshire wasn’t able to register a score and the Hinds finished 109/9. Dodd was the top scorer with 37 and Greig was the only other player to score over 20, as she made 27. Jess Kerr and Xara Jetly took three wickets each, whilst Leigh Kasperek got one. Amelia Kerr also chipped in with one. Leigh Kasperek picked up the Dream 11 Game Changer for her 29 runs and two wickets.

Result: Wellington Blaze win by 46 runs.