2022/23 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
SPLIT ROUND
Round 5 for Northern Districts | Round 6 for Canterbury Magicians
Saturday, 14 January 2023
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
CANTERBURY MAGICIANS beat NORTHERN DISTRICTS by 16 runs
Points this round: Magicians 4, ND 0
A one-day rematch between the Canterbury Magicians and Northern Districts promised to be a fascinating contest and it delivered with a tight tussle at Hagley Oval.
Hosts Canterbury were fresh off beating the same team in the Dream11 Super Smash the previous day at the ground, and headed into the first one-day contest of the women's national Hallyburton Johnstone Shield locked with Wellington Blaze at the top of the HBJ table.
ND was just two points behind them and looking to leapfrog the leaders in this match, as well as avenge their heavy 132-run loss to the Magicians in Rangiora earlier in the season.
They very nearly got their wish, after a fighting top score of 85 from captain Eimear Richardson.
And yet, Canterbury again found a way to win as they fire up in both formats, with ND's only consolation being that they had denied them a bonus point.
Richardson had won the toss and elected to bowl, Shriya Naidu making a great start at the head of the pace attack as she collected Abby Gerken's off-stump in the opening over.
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Laura Hughes was unfazed, getting off the mark with a boundary next over. She embarked on an early spree in a boisterous 85-run stand with Kate Anderson, who galloped to a half century at first drop.
At 90/1 in the 15th over, ND were well underway before Nensi Patel had Hughes caught behind on 30.
Brooke Halliday removed Anderson a few overs later as Amy Satterthwaite became the next big challenge for the attack.
By the time she was eventually removed on 33 at the 35-over mark, Canterbury had carefully eased to 166/5, Jodie Dean contributing 47 as the pair consolidated.
The loss of the veteran left-hander saw ND's attack exert more influence and they finished the last 15 overs on top despite a gutsy unbeaten 37 from Missy Banks.
Marama Downes immediately ran out Lea Tahuhu before Richardson added a couple of wickets for her return of 2-42, while Halliday went bang-bang to finish off the innings with four balls in hand.
Canterbury had set the northerners a target of 228 at just under five per over, but ND got off to a disastrous start as Jess Simmons accounted for both experienced openers at 16/2.
Lea Tahuhu then picked up Lucy Boucher cheaply next over - Tahuhu's 200th List A one-day day wicket - and a couple more breakthroughs had ND in trouble at 86/5.
Batting at six, Richardson dug in for two hours to give her team a fighting chance.
The veteran and Ireland rep struck 10 boundaries in her 85, and at the start of the 46th over ND were right back in the frame thanks to her efforts, needing a further 19 runs to win off the 30 balls.
But disaster strick again for ND when the young Banks had Richardson spooning up a catch to Sarah Asmussen at a crucial moment in the match, Northern now down to their last wicket.
The chance to advance went begging for ND as Tahuhu (2-42) closed it out in the 47th, and the Magicians instead claimed the top spot on the ladder.
All images: PHOTOSPORT
