Otago Sparks vs Wellington Blaze
The Wellington Blaze elected to bat on a belter of a wicket and it didn't look great at the start. Rebecca Burns went for 3 off 9 and the first 3 overs only produced 7 runs. However, things were on the up. Amelia Kerr came to the crease and took a few balls to get her eye in but she was set. Jess McFadyen was bowled by Lindsy Smith Otago's overseas signing from last season, returning for another season.
Georgia Plimmer came to the crease while Amelia Kerr was smacking the ball around the ground. She brought up her 17th T20 50 well on her way to 100 until she came down the wicket to Suzie Bates and got stumped by Polly Inglis for 88. Jess Kerr came to close the inning and Wellington scored 159/3.
Suzie Bates opened up for the Sparks alongside Bella James for a partnership totalling 36 off the first 5 overs. Catlin Blakley then came to the crease scoring a 60-run partnership with Suzie Bates until she was caught and bowled by her former teammate Kasperick. Polly Inglis didn't last long and it was the beginning of the end.
Suzie Bates then went for 70 off 55 getting stumped by McFadyen. The rest were collapsing. Robertson, Gain and Smith went for a combined total of 5. Jensen and Eden Carson were not out in the end but the Sparks only scored 139/7 losing by 20 runs.
Otago Volts vs Wellington Firebirds
Dean Foxcroft elected to bat and sent his own team into bat and how it didn't pay off. Gibson went out early for 2 knicking off in the first over to Nathan Smith and Otago's fortunes didn't look much better after that. Rutherford went for 7 getting yorked, Max Chu also had to go getting out to another yorker. Phillips went for 0 and the Volts were kicking themselves.
Foxcroft got out for 1 with Ollie White also going for 1. The Volts were in deep trouble. Lockrose went after a lacklustre shot and then came Travis Muller after playing the best shot in the Volts inning, Johnson then went and the 10th wicket held for 17 runs until Hazeldine got out for 6. The Volts were all out for 47.
The Firebirds had no trouble chasing this down. Nick Greenwood went for 10 however Robinson finished on 30 and Kelly was on 11. They had done this in 4.3 destroying Otago's net run rate and infating theirs! This was an embarrassing day for Otago Cricket and they will need to look foward to the next game on New Year's Day!
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