Frances Mackay’s form is on fire as she continues setting a winning tone for her Canterbury Magicians in 2016/17.
The Mags’ short format captain was outstanding again as they put 146 for three on the board against the Central Hinds at Hagley Oval in their doubleheader with the Kings, carrying her bat with an unbeaten half century.
The opener’s run of T20 scores this season is now 45, 57 and 61* (off just 52 balls); to go with a run of 95*, 79*, 49, 1*, 0 and 64* in the concurrent One-Day comp.
Mackay kicked on after the loss of Amy Satterthwaite for 22 after the Hinds had sent them in at a lush and overcast Hagley, Erin Bermingham steadily building a 77-run stand for the second wicket with Mackay as they moved the score to 100/1 in 14 overs.
Bermingham would be caught on 34 next ball, Michelle McKay (3-28) having taken both wickets of the morning before immediately bowling Thamsyn Newton for a golden.
First innings completed here at Hagley Oval. The Magicians finishing up with 146/3. Outstanding innings from Frances Mackay #MAGSvHINDS pic.twitter.com/Zh8np2PIHu
— Canterbury Cricket (@CanterburyCrick) January 1, 2017
That would be the last celebrations for the Hinds, however, as a target of 147 began to elude their grasp early.
A brilliant runout — fired in from Rachel Candy on the boundary — broke the opening reply in just the third over, and it would spell the story of the innings as runouts accounted for three more of the wickets. They fell regularly, with only Jess Watkin (23 at first drop) and Hannah Rowe and Kelly Rangi in the middle order (both 27) reaching double figures, the Hinds petering out to 115 for seven in their 20 to hand the Magicians a 31-run victory.
For Cantabrians, part one of the big day had gone exactly to plan, while the Hinds have just one win from the four rounds.
