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Otago has extended its lead in the HBJ with another two wins. Central has also climbed up the table.
Otago Sparks vs Northern Districts (Round Five):
A solid bowling performance by the Sparks bowlers allowed their opening batters, Suzie Bates and Bella James, to take them to their fifth victory in a row of the season, even if rain caused delays throughout.
Northern’s openers, Yaz Kareem and Tash Wakelin, did put on 59 for the first wicket; however, they were there for nearly 20 overs just for that stand.
A quick attacking innings of 43 from 46 by Caitlin Gurrey and Sam Barriball’s 34 from 39 got the visitors to 148/5, partnered with the loss of captain Jess Watkin for two.
Hayley Jensen once again showed her class with the ball and alongside spinner Eden Carson and Anna Browning ripped through Northern’s middle to lower order, taking them eight down when rain started to fall in the 44th over.
Northern had their innings closed at 176/8 and Otago went in requiring 183 from 43 overs.
Bates and James went about Otago’s chase in a calm fashion that allowed them to push their way to the win when rain again fell in the 23rd over and with the target pushed to 66, Otago’s 102 was well ahead of the required rate.
This gave Otago a 37-run win and another five points to continue their extremely strong start to the season.
Central Hinds vs Canterbury Magicians (Round Five):
The Central Hinds, led by Kerry Tomlinson’s maiden hundred and Flora Devonshire’s all-round performance of 72 along with a maiden five-wicket haul helped the Central Hinds to a 55-run win in New Plymouth.
Canterbury put themselves into the game early, reducing the Hinds to 77/5 halfway through the innings. If it hadn’t been for Tomlinson’s and Devonshirre’s 123-run stand for the sixth wicket then the Hinds could have been looking at a very different result.
Kate Ebrahim, Missy Banks, Gabby Sullivan, and Jess Simmons all helped go through Central’s top order and a sharp one-handed catch by Banks off her bowling was the highlight of these wickets.
Devonshire and Tomlinson’s stand was an eventual sixth-wicket record for the Hinds and the knock between the pair allowed their side to go on to make their highest total against the Canterbury Magicians.
Wicket-keeper Kate Gaging chipped in with 19* and finished not out alongside Tomlinson (100*). Frankie Mackay was the pick of the Canterbury bowlers with two wickets, with the Hinds setting 274 for the win.
Canterbury did get off to a good start pushing out to 106/3 when Jodie Dean fell to Hannah Rowe for 33, however from here Devonshire did go through the middle order of the visitors.
Izzy Sharp and Nat Cox’s forties were helpful for the Magicians but went in vain alongside Laura Hughes’ 35* as Devonshire’s five-wicket haul and Ocean Bartlett’s two wickets bowled Canterbury out for 218.
The Hinds’ 55-run win pushed them up the table and into second spot.
Auckland Hearts vs Wellington Blaze (Round Five):
A century by Amelia Kerr partnered alongside Nicole Baird’s 31 not out in a 105-run eight-wicket stand took the Blaze to a nine-run win over Auckland at Kennard’s Hire Community Oval.
Auckland had some great early success as they had the visitors sitting at 7/127 with the four-strike bowlers of Bree Illing, Molly Penfold, Amie Hucker, and Josie Penfold all showing their power in their opening spells.
Kerr and Baird then went on the counter attack with Kerr particularly showing her worth, contributing 62 from 41 of the 100 runs between the pair.
This took the Blaze through to 232/8 with Kerr being dismissed on the final ball to Hucker.
Jess Kerr and Hannah Francis each grabbed a wicket early on before a 104-run third wicket stand between White Ferns Brooke Halliday (42) and Maddy Green (70) pushed them back into the game.
Auckland’s middle order couldn’t quite handle the task of getting their side across the line with Jess Kerr’s 3/38 and Francis’ 2/28 being partnered alongside wickets to Xara Jetly, Leigh Kasperek, and Amelia Kerr.
Wellington finished with a nine-run win, despite Bre Illing’s 11* from six at number ten.
Otago Sparks vs Northern Districts (Round Six):
A fast start with the ball for Northern wasn’t enough with Suzie Bates’ 28th List A century and Eden Carson’s five-wicket haul.
Marama Downes’ struck on the first two balls of the match with Bella James and Caitlin Blakely both falling and Felicity Robertson joining her side back in the shed soon after.
Otago, for the first time this season were facing a bit of pressure with the bat, particularly after they went to 79/4 when Jesse Prasad dismissed Polly Inglis for 24.
A 114-run stand for the fifth wicket between Bates (107) and Olivia Gain (55) allowed Otago to get through to the 200-run mark by the time both were dismissed.
Hayley Jensen (21) and Anna Browning (19) pushed their side past the 250-run mark, setting Northern 256 to win.
Carson’s five-wicket bag in Nothern’s chase allowed them to be skittled for just 70.
Having lost both openers to Emma Black early on, Carson then ripped through the middle order of Auckland along with also assisting in the runout of Carol Agafili.
Jess Watkin (17) and Nensi Patel (17) both showed some fight with the bat, but it wasn’t enough with Downes being the last one out to Chloe Deerness for two allowing the hosts to an 186-run win.
Auckland Hearts vs Wellington Blaze (Round Six):
Another important knock from Amelia Kerr and a solid bowling performance by Wellington took them to their third win of the season.
Kerr combined with her fellow White Ferns Sophie Devine and Leigh Kasperek were the backbone of Wellington’s 246/9 total.
Bree Illing once again showed her power with the ball-grabbing figures of 3/32 from her ten overs and two each to Amie Hucker (2/51) and Kate Irwin (2/29) were of assistance.
There was also a wicket on List A debut for Anika Todd, grabbing Caitlin King in the 44th over to break her stand with Kasperek.
Auckland’s innings were led around a 3rd List A 50 by Bella Armstrong, despite that however they were bundled out for just 144.
Xara Jetly showed her skills with the ball, making her way to 3/35 from her 6.3 overs whilst Jess Kerr’s two wickets also helped dismiss Auckland’s lower order.
Wellington took a 102-run win and climbed up to third on the table.
Central Hinds vs Canterbury Magicians (Round Six):
The Central Hinds have surged up the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield table into second with their convincing seven-wicket win at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park.
A solid all-round bowling performance from the Hinds, led by pacer Hannah Rowe’s 3/19 and ably assisted by the rest of her bowling attack.
Flora Devonshire chipping in with 2/25 from her ten overs backed up her previous efforts the day before whilst Aniela Apperley took 2/45, her first two wickets for the Hinds.
Twenties from Kate Ebrahim, Jodie Dean, and Izzy Sharp in the top order alongside Jess Simmons’ 24 helped Canterbury through to 170 all out in the 44th over.
A second List A half-century by Central’s youngster Emma McLeod proved the backbone of her side’s successful chase.
Having lost Georgia Atkinson (15), Thamsyn Newton (20), and Mikaela Greig (7), the Hinds still required over 100 runs, but McLeod combined with Rowe to see their side home.
Victory for the home team came in the 36th over with McLeod finishing on 68* and Rowe on 41* Gabby Sullivan (1/42) and Ebrahim (1/17) were the wicket takers along with a run out for Harriet Graham.
Where Things Stand:
As the teams head into the Dream 11 Super Smash, the Sparks are currently top of the table on 30 points followed by the Hinds (15), Blaze and Hearts (13 each). Northern (8) and Canterbury (5) will be in desperate need of victories when the competition resumes in February next year.
Top 10 Run Scorers and Wicket Takers:
Maddy Green - 325 runs @65.00
Bella James - 293 runs @73.25
Kate Ebrahim - 261 runs @65.25
Lauren Down - 229 runs @38.17
Emma McLeod - 207 runs @41.40
Caitlin Gurrey - 200 runs @33.33
Yaz Kareem - 185 runs @30.83
Amelia Kerr - 172 runs @86.00
Kerry Tomlinson - 170 runs @170.00
Nat Cox - 161 runs @32.20
Wickets:
Eden Carson - 13 wickets @12.33
Bree Illing - 13 wickets @17.54
Xara Jetly - 13 wickets @15.54
Ocean Bartlett - 13 wickets @16.31
Molly Penfold - 11 wickets @17.91
Jess Kerr - 11 wickets @16.00
Anna Browning - 10 wickets @12.70
Amie Hucker - 10 wickets @26.90
Flora Devonshire - 10 wickets @15.90
Rosemary Mair - 10 wickets @11.60
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