The Central Hinds have won their first match after a nine game losing streak in the Action Cricket Twenty20 competition against the Otago Sparks.
A sensational century from Captain Rachel Priest has lifted the Hinds to a 50 run victory over the Otago Sparks.
Otago put Central in to bat after winning the toss and managed to get Kerry-Anne Tomlinson cheaply for five.
That would be as good as it got for the Otago bowling attack as Hinds’ batsmen Priest and Sara McGlashan took control. McGlashan played the side-kick in her innings of 40, but was then dismissed by Suzie Bates after a partnership of 95 for the second wicket.
Priest though wasn’t finished. The White Fern representative continued to smash the Sparks’ bowlers around the ground as she made her way to an unbeaten 106 off 74 balls. It was an incredible innings which included 14 fours and two sixes.
The Otago bowlers didn’t have a response for Priest’s heroics as she led the Hinds to a final total of 169 for two from 20 overs.
In reply the Sparks were inconsistent yet again, but found a few positives from their innings.
They lost wickets early, but starts from Bates (16) and Natasha Miles (29) gave Otago a chance of victory, if only a small one. Another small collapse would ensue and it started to look like things could get embarrassing, until all-rounder Sarah Osborne made sure the score kept some respectability about it with a late 22.
It was never going to get them across the line though, the Hinds’ finalising their 50 run win at the end of 20 overs.
Part time bowler Kate Baxter made a huge impact in her three overs as she took three wickets for eight runs to ensure that Priest’s batting display didn’t go to waste.
