Amy Satterthwaite’s Canterbury Magicians have made it three wins from three, leading the 2015/16 Women’s Twenty20 competition as the only unbeaten side after a 23-run win against Northern Spirit at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
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Big wickets at the top from WHITE FERNS pace bowler Lea Tahuhu (3-15 off 3.3) and Frances Mackay (2-19 and with a hand in a run out) helped the Magicians defend their total of 143/4 — which had been propelled by a half century to opener Mackay, her 59 flying off just 52 balls before falling with just 10 balls remaining in the innings.
With five overs to go, Spirit needed to hunt down 59 runs with effectively four wickets in hand (Mel Knight indisposed and able to bat with a broken foot).
The asking rate proved too much against the calibre of the Magicians’ attack.
Two quick runs out at the death had made their job harder, Gabby Sullivan stopping Felicity Leydon-Davis and Erin Bermingham running out Aliscia Rout to have the visitors 115/7 — leaving them requiring 29 off the last 10 balls with new batsmen at the crease.
But the serious damage had been done early. Tahuhu made the initial breakthrough in the sixth over, before Satterthwaite swooped for a fine slip catch to dismiss Gurry and have the Spirit 31/2.
Mackay hit the top off Gardner’s off stump to make it three down in the 10th over, before Natalie Dodd teamed up with captain Brooke Halliday for a recovery.
Halliday gave her side a chance with a 32-ball 43 before she fell to the power combo of Satterthwaite and Tahuhu in the last over, wickets having fallen all around her.
