It’s the last chance for New Zealand’s top women cricketers to make this season’s T20 and One-Day national finals as the heat goes on in Napier, Wellington and Christchurch from this Friday afternoon.
Friday’s Twenty20 action will see five teams — reinforced by their WHITE FERNS stars returning from the WBBL — all jostling to join defending champions the Canterbury Magicians in the 2017 Grand Final.
Suzie Bates in action for the Otago Sparks. Image: www.photosport.nz
The unbeaten Magicians have already secured their position with a four-point buffer over closest rivals the Auckland Hearts. In what may be a preview of the 2017 Final, these two top sides will go head to head at Hagley Oval, where a win to the Magicians could leave the Hearts sweating on other results around the country. The Aucklanders, however, head into the final round on a healthy net run rate, upping the pressure on the chasing teams.
Amy Satterthwaite became the first woman to 3000 One-Day runs for Canterbury this season. Image:www.photosport.nz
The Twenty20 showdowns will be followed on Saturday and Sunday by the last regular season matches of the Women’s One-Day Competition — in which the barnstorming Canterbury Magicians are also currently unbeaten and already assured of a place in the Final after eight of the 10 rounds.
Auckland's Roz McNeill. Image:www.photosport.nz
Defending One-Day champions the Auckland Hearts have a more precarious hold on second spot in this format, just one point ahead of Wellington Blaze. The Otago Sparks also remain in contention.
The same teams that meet in Friday afternoon’s T20s also face each other in the weekend’s twinned One-Dayers, as follows:
•Nelson Park, Napier: Central Hinds v Northern Spirit.
•Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Canterbury Magicians v Auckland Hearts
•Karori Park, Wellington: Wellington Blaze v Otago Sparks — Friday 3 February T20 and Saturday 4 February One-Day
•Basin Reserve, Wellington: Wellington Blaze v Otago Sparks — Sunday 5 February One-Day
Women’s Twenty20 Points Table
Women’s Twenty20 full schedule
Women’s One-Day Points Table
Women’s One-Day full schedule
