2022/23 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
ROUND THREE
Saturday 26 November 2022
Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
CANTERBURY MAGICIANS beat NORTHERN DISTRICTS by 132 runs
A match full of surprises awaited the Canterbury Magicians and visitors Northern Districts at Mainpower Oval.
Things has started well for Brooke Halliday | PHOTOSPORT
The biggest surprise of all was ND team manager Maia Lewis's unscheduled return to action, following unfortunate twin injuries in the ND camp.
After keeper Bernadine Bezuidenhout went off the field with a pulled quad halfway through the first innings - with Brooke Halliday also out of action after having been hit on the thumb, ND was down to nine of their named playing XI, meaning manager Lewis quickly kitted up in Gurrey's shirt and headed out onto the field.
The 52-year-old former WHITE FERNS captain then stunned everyone to take her first catch in the competition since 2006, and it was a sharp take at that.
It was a joyous moment for the ND camp, but the joy pretty much stopped there with the team's chances against the struggling Canterbury Magicians weakened by the loss of two of their premier batters in the chase.
Marama Downes | PHOTOSPORT
The Magicians had reached 242/9 in their 50 overs after having been sent in, a steady team effort as they overcame the loss of an early wicket and strung together a series of six partnerships.
No batter reached 50 (Nat Cox top-scoring with 47), but it was more than enough as ND struggled to cope with the disruption and loss of the two key players, neither of whom were able to bat in the chase.
Caitlin Gurrey did her best to fight for her ND team with a 70-ball half century at the top, but she lacked support as the remainder of the top and middle order quickly fell away.
Gurrey herself departed at 86/7 in the 23rd over, and that left just one bottle standing on the wall.
Earlier, opening bower Marama Downes had enjoyed a good day with the ball for ND with 3-55, but her own dismissal after a fighting 23 signalled the end for ND at 110/8 in just the 28th over.
The elated Magicians took both the win and a bonus point in a much needed 132-run victory, one of the Magicians' biggest margins over the years against the maroon team.
