The Auckland Hearts have qualified for the 2017 national One-Day Final after a resounding 108-run victory over the Canterbury Magicians at Hagley Oval today — a dress rehearsal for next Sunday’s Grand Final at the same venue.
The Hearts continued their sizzling form with the bat after having been sent in by Amy Satterthwaite, openers Anna Peterson (72) and Lauren Down (56) putting on 137 for the first wicket and Peterson collecting her 1000th domestic one-day run en route.
When Down departed at the halfway point, yesterday’s centurion Sara McGlashan came to the crease and picked up where she left off.
McGlashan scored at more than run-a-ball pace for her unbeaten 88, working it to all parts of Hagley Oval as she guided the Hearts to 277 for seven from their 50 overs.
Sara McGlashan and Maddy Green had another good day out
After easily defending the exact same score yesterday, the unchanged Hearts would have been confident they could apply the same pressure today, the already qualified Magicians with two players on debut in Melissa Banks and Jess Simmons, and also bringing in Natalie Cox.
The Hearts started in perfect fashion with four maiden overs in a row from spinner Peterson and quick Arlene Kelly.
Those opening overs set the tone for the innings with the Magicians batsmen unable to stay with the required run rate, despite a half century from Kate Ebrahim (née Broadmore).
When Maddy Green came on in the middle overs, the game well and truly swung in the Hearts’ favour, Green’s off-spin undoing the home side’s middle order as she finished with four for 24 from eight overs.
The Mags batted out their 50 overs, but fell well short of the Hearts’ total with 169 for six — conferring their first two losses of the season on a Waitangi weekend of upsets.
The result means the Hearts stayed ahead of Wellington Blaze and booked the last spot in the Women’s One-Day Final against the Canterbury Magicians on Sunday 12 February at Hagley Oval. This Final was originally scheduled for the 11th, but the Women’s Twenty20 Final will now be played on the 11th (in Rangiora) with the One-Day Final on the following day at Hagley in a busy weekend for Canterbury cricket.
Scorecard
Points table
