.png)
Kiwi Cricket Kōrero host and writer Ellie Indie writes on the fourth match of the Women’s Super Smash 2022–23 season (Originally written 27/12/22)
A one sided match, won by table toppers Wellington Blaze, gave Fitzherbert Park not much to cheer about. With Jess McFadyen involved with 5 dismissals, 3 wickets falling in the powerplay via Jess Kerr and an impressive debut from Flora Devonshire.
Central Hinds vs Wellington Blaze at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North
Coming into the match…
The Blaze are near the top of the table after their victory over the Otago Sparks by 19 runs.
The last time these two sides faced off, Wellington Blaze won by 5 wickets with 5 balls remaining.
Central Hinds playing XI: Jess Watkin ©, Nat Dodd (WK), Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Emily Cunningham, Flora Devonshire, Claudia Green, Mikaela Greig, Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe, Kerry Tomlinson.
A debut for Flora Devonshire in T20 cricket follows after a development tour to India and a call up to the New Zealand Women’s U19 squad for the U19 T20 World Cup. The first game of the season for this Hinds side, with Ocean Bartlett returning from India alongside Devonshire, Rowe and Mair fresh from Ferns duties and senior leaders Jess Watkin and Nat Dodd ready for another season to excel in.
Wellington Blaze playing XI: Rebecca Burns, Maddy Green, Xara Jetly, Leigh Kasperek, Caitlin King, Jess McFadyen (WK), Thamsyn Newton, Maneka Singh, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr ©, Georgia Plimmer.
IN & OUT: No changes.
The same XI that powered the Wellington Blaze to a win over the Otago Sparks feature for them here versus the Central Hinds. Leigh Kasperek and Jess Kerr (3) come into the match with the most wickets for the side, and Amelia Kerr with the most runs (46).
Wellington won the toss and chose to bat first.
Flora Devonshire made her Central Hinds debut today, getting the game started with a handy 3 run over for her side. Georgia Plimmer took off during the 3rd over, sending whatever Claudia Green gave her back over her head. It was a costly over, 12 runs added to the score from it. Mair also suffered the wrath of the Blaze attack, Newton sending her into the onside to the ropes three times. The Blaze were 30–0 after 5.
A much needed breakthrough came for the Hinds, a handy catch from Ocean Bartlett from Green sent Plimmer back to the dressing room with a quick fire 20 off 18, leaving the Blaze 36–1 at the end of the over.
Jess Watkin had been threatening the wicket of Rebecca Burns the ball before, taking the pace off and generating a great deal of spin catching the batter by surprise. Throwing another one wider of the stumps, Burns sent it straight back to her — resulting in a wicket via caught and bowled. A great breakthrough the Hinds needed after the Blaze’s rapid start. The Blaze 66–2 after 9.
Devonshire was presented the chance to take the first in her career, Kerr chipping it to Watkin at cover — while catching one the over before, dropped the Blaze skipper. Another chance to get the in form batter out arose not too long after. Thamsyn Newton was the one to go though, Georgia Atkinson bowling a slower delivery launched in the direction of Claudia Green. Newton out for 29 off 27, assisting her side to a great start in the power play. The Blaze were 77–3 after 11.
Devonshire went on to bowl her last — and her most expensive — with Green and Kerr finding the gaps for 10 runs. Credit to the debutant, twenty runs off her first four in her career is impressive given the impact she had on the batters.
Kerr looked set once more, another good innings looked on the horizon for her. It was cut short when a ball from Watkin was hit back at the stumps from Kasperek, with Watkin getting a hand on it running out Kerr for 27 runs off 23 balls. The Blaze were 122–4 after 17.1.
Watkin almost saw her second, Jess Kerr launching it to Emily Cunningham in the deep. While the fielder caught it originally, she’d dropped it as she fell to the ground. A quick review from the umpires deemed it not out and Kerr escaped another first ball dismissal.
A big over coming from Mair, Kasperek beating the fielder for 4, and a shot off the hips for the same result. She and Kerr excelling in the final 2 to boost the Blaze’s score. Kasperek couldnt quite give Rowe the same hammering, settling for 2s. In an attempt to loft it over the fielder at long on for 6, she saw the end of her innings. A spectacular catch from Georgia Atkinson in the final over just centimetres from the rope, thrown back up for security, saw the end of an impressive outing for the batter. Kasperek was out for 29 off 19, with the team reaching 155–6 after the full 20.
Innings Breakdown:
A mixed powerplay for the Blaze, clearly struggling to grasp the runs off the spin of Devonshire and Watkin, looked to attack the pace on offer from Green, Mair and Rowe. They’d lost the wicket of their opener Georgia Plimmer early on as Becky Burns followed her back not after. The Hinds had a fair few missed opportunities in the mix. Amelia Kerr once again avoiding a early wicket via a drop. Pacers clawed their way back into the game after an early pelting, Hannah Rowe took Green and Kasperek out of the equation. A massive push in runs toward the back end made sure the Blaze could put up a tricky total for a notably mismanaged Hinds batting unit to chase.
A classic Jess Kerr inswinger flying off the bat and into the gloves of McFadyen in what felt like slow motion saw the end of Emily Cunningham in just the second over for no runs. The wicket brought on power hitter Jess Watkin. LIving up to the title in true Watkin fashion, she sent the ball flying to the legside for the first 6 of the match, disrupting what was a good over from Kerr. The Hinds 15–1 after 2.
A big opportunity left untaken by Maneka Singh with a caught and bowled just narrowly missed out on. Watkin sending it straight up fell through the hands of Singh. Jess KerrDo managed to take her second and third wicket in close succession. First, Jess Watkin who’d powered one in the way of Maddy Green in the deep, then a thick edge from Kerry Tomlinson to Jess McFadyen left her with figures of 3–11 after just two overs, and the Hinds in danger with 26–3 after 4.
Vice captain Nat Dodd had seen 3 wickets fly by at the non-strikers game, sensing the need to get her Hinds side some urgent runs. Sending one to long on for a four, then another to fine leg. After the powerplay, the Hinds were 38–3.
A quiet few overs and a start for Mikaela Greig followed, she sent Caitlin King over the ropes, then a few deliveries later almost a carbon copy, landing short of the boundary and Newton in the deep giving her a four to the tally. A shot to extra cover and down the ground was a clear message from Greig, she was getting going and putting the Wellington fielders under pressure. The Hinds were 61–3 after 10 overs.
A half chance to get Greig came midway through Kasperek’s second. Drawing the batter to play a risky shot, the ball was headed toward fine leg. Jess Kerr unable to get a fingertip on it despite the close proximity, it then went to younger sister Amelia — getting a hold of the ball but with a similar drop to Emily Cunningham in the innings before. Another drop, this time for Dodd, off Jetly. The wicketkeeper batter made sure the field would rue the error, collecting a well struck 4 over the bowler and down the ground. The Hinds were 76–3 after 12.
Dodd in an attempt to hit it to a vacant section of the field misjudged the delivery, and instead stumped by Jess McFadyen on 37 off 35. Kasperek with her first and McFadyen adding to a perfect day out behind the stumps with 3 catches. The last ball of Amelia Kerr’s over saw the fall of Hannah Rowe after a short stay at the crease, clean bowled for 2 off 8, the Hinds 81–5 after 14.
A double wicket over for Xara Jetly ensured a large swing in chances for Wellington. First Greig falling victim to McFadyen’s quick hands, knocking the stumps out of the ground to see the Hinds batter go for 27. Atkinson saw a similar fate although no assistance needed from the keeper, Jetly using her spin to bowl her for 2. The Hinds 90–7 after 16.
Rosemary Mair was out for 8, a catch from Plimmer off the bowling of Kasperek brought new batter Claudia Green to the crease. 2 overs of no wickets and some handy runs to the Hinds score from Green and Bartlett, soon to be disrupted by Jetly in the final over. Another stumping for McFadyen of Green for 8 brought out the final batter, debutant Devonshire. The Hinds finished on 109–9, meaning the Wellington Blaze brought up their second win of the season, winning by 46 runs.
Innings breakdown:
Losing 3 wickets inside of the powerplay typically indicates its going to be a long day for the batting side. It’s a problem the Hinds faced last season; a batting order that just isnt working trying to chase down these big totals wont end well. Nat Dodd and Mikaela Greig were a massive piece in the Hinds machine today, unfortunately not backed by those around them. Jess Watkin played a small cameo with some incredible power striking on display, but other wise its a day to forget for the home side.
Wellington couldn’t wish for much better. Their bowling unit assisting them to a 46 run win over the struggling Hinds, even with drops and some fielding errors managing the crushing win. It’s also worth noting the 0 extras they bowled, a near flawless showing from all involved. It highlights just how strong this unit are, and we shouldn’t forget that they’re without Ferns skipper Sophie Devine. Its another win for them, putting them at the top of the table with Canterbury.
Player of the match:
While it was mainly a Wellington dominated affair, players from both sides stood out. Obvious candidates of the award being Leigh Kasperek for her all round efforts (29 off 27, 2–14), Jess Kerr for her 3 wicket haul (3–22) impacting the Hinds in the powerplay, Xara Jetly grabbing 3–15 toward the end to ensure her team an easy win, Nat Dodd (37 off 35) and Mikaela Greig’s (27 off 29) outings in a losing cause and Jess McFadyen’s great day out with 2 stumpings and 3 catches.
The Player of the Match was awarded to Leigh Kasperek, shining for the Blaze in all parts of the game.
コメント