For the first time in recent memory, four teams will contest the 50 over and Twenty20 finals this weekend.
In the Twenty20 final the Otago Sparks host the Wellington Blaze on Saturday 24 January at University Oval Dunedin starting at 11am.
And in the 50 over format the Canterbury Magicians will host the Auckland Hearts at Mainpower Oval in Rangiora on Sunday 25 January, starting at 10.30am.
Twenty20 wrap
Twenty20 finalists the Sparks and Blaze met at University Oval in Dunedin on Friday evening in a Final preview, with the Sparks getting home by eight runs thanks to Katey Martin’s 42 and Leigh Kasperek’s 30 in a total of 125-7 in twenty overs.
The Blaze made a spirited chase, but fell eight runs short – Sophie Devine made 37 from 33 balls after being dropped early on, but was caught by skipper Suzie Bates at long on from a towering shot, a moment that changed the match.
In the other final round matches, the Auckland Hearts beat the Central Districts Hinds by six runs at Melville Park in Auckland, as the hosts chased down the Hinds’ 97-7 in the seventeenth over. Despite the rapid chase, the Hearts finished third thanks to net run rate, narrowly missing out on the Twenty20 final.
The Northern Spirit beat the Canterbury Magicians by four runs at Seddon Park, with the hosts taking late wickets to peg the Magicians back, when it looked like they were in control.
Liz Perry finished on 213 runs for the season to finish top run scorer, despite intense competition from Amy Satterthwaite (210), Katey Martin (208) and Suzie Bates (207). Allex Evans was top wicket taker with eight, while Morna Nielsen, Eimear Richardson and Amelia Kerr all finished with seven.
50 over wrap
The Canterbury Magicians finished with 38 points for the season, winning eight of their ten matches, ahead of the Auckland Hearts, who finished with 31.
The Magicians ended the season in style, winning by 157 runs over the Northern Spirit in Hamilton thanks to Amy Satterthwaite’s 116, which helped them reach 265 from 50 overs. They bowled the Spirit out for 108 in the 37th over, with Lea Tahuhu the stand out with 4-17 from her ten.
The Auckland Hearts, 2014’s beaten finalists, went down to the Central Hinds by eight wickets at Melville Park – the hosts were all out for 165 in the last over with Hannah Rowe picking up 3-31 in her ten overs. In reply Michelle Mitchell (50) and Kate Broadmore (51)’s half centuries got the Hinds home in 36.2 overs.
In Mosgiel, the defending champion Otago Sparks could not chase the Wellington Blaze’s 214, with the visitors winning by 25 runs.
As in the 50 over competition, Amy Satterthwaite finished top scorer with 770, with Suzie Bates second on 668, the pair well out in front of their nearest challengers
Frances Mackay topped the wicket taking table with 19.
