NZC National Women's Under 19 Tournament
NZC High Performance Centre, Lincoln, Canterbury
8 January 2021
ROUND THREE
Auckland and defending champions Central Districts still remained unbeaten after the third round of one-day action, with neither side picking up a bonus point in more closely contested and exciting games leading into the rest day on Saturday.
Both sides were on 14 points at the end of the day, holding a substantial nine-point advantage over ND, Canterbury and Otago, all nested togther on five points while Wellington was still to get on the board.
• CENTRAL DISTRICTS u19 beat NORTHERN DISTRICTS u19 by 1 wicket
CD shrugged off comings and goings in the squad, with first captain Ashtuti Kumar and then her deputy Ocean Bartlett (who captained round two) both whistled away to Dunedin to join the injury-hit Central Hinds.
That led to Flora Devonshire becoming the side's third captain in as many days, while Manawatu bowler Ashleigh Hurley flew down to join the squad.
Overnight wet weather led to lengthy delays on day three and when Lincoln Green had finally dried off, the match was down to 40 overs per side. ND won the toss and batted, but lost both openers early for single figures.
However, first drop Makayla Templeton got a good start and went on to build an impressive unbroken 153-run stand for the third wicket with captain Georgina Harris.
Templeton hit eight boundaries in her unbeaten 77* while Harris sent the ball to the rope 11 times in her 92 not out off 101 balls.
They had seen their side recover from 52/2 to 205/2, no mean feat - then Templeton was almost immediately in the action in the field with a catch to have CD 17/1 early doors.
Sadly for ND, 58 extras would ultimately cost them the win. Cate Pedersen was the only Central batsman to really get going with 79 off 94 balls, before she was run out with 6.4 overs to go.
ND cycled through nine bowlers, including Harris herself, and they were chipping out wickets to keep themselves in it - and then rushing through the tail until just one more was needed.
But new arrival Hurley and last woman El Cohr were up the task in a nailbiting last two overs, Cohr finding the winning single with just three balls left in the last over.
• AUCKLAND u19 beat WELLINGTON u19 by 2 wickets
It was another tight finish on Bert Sutcliffe Oval where the game had been reduced to 34 overs per side. Wellington was looking for its first win - and came heartbreakingly close in the low-scoring, last-over thriller.
Captain Georgia Plimmer won the toss and batted, and it was a real battle between bat and ball. Wickets fell regularly with almost all the Auckland attack picking up one or two, and Marama Downes shining with 2-8 off her five overs.
Renee McMillan was just as impressive with 2-7 off three, bowling one of the four maidens across the innings. But Wellington hung in there and battled away, first drop Plimmer and Rachel Bryant working hard to stabilise the innings after early strikes.
Jamie Mason-Jones and Anna Martin later shared an eighth-wicket stand of 38 runs that was invaluable in the context of the game, number eight Mason-Jones top-scoring with 30 off 39 balls before she was run out with two balls to go in the first innings.
The team had got through to 118 for nine, then made a fantastic start with the ball to give themselves a fighting chance of defending it.
Five of Auckland's top six were dismissed for single-figure scores, opening bowler Hannah Kells (3-23 off the maximum seven) and Kate Chandler (3-30 off seven) making inroads, with Chandler striking twice in the space of three balls in the 23rd to have Auckland 62 for seven.
Wellington had built some great pressure with Bryant and Kells combining to bowl three consecutive maidens, among five in the chase. But Emily Handyside went on the attack with the bat at the death, supported by Downes.
Handyside hit four boundaries in her top score of 35, batting at seven, while number nine Downes (18*) stayed with her for eight and a half overs. Handyside was a huge wicket when she was caught off Kells in the 31st, ending their 45-run stand.
Young Auckland Heart Fran Jonas joined Downes and found a boundary, but it was still edge of your seat stuff with Kells' last over going for just three runs. Auckland still needed two runs off the last over, but a couple of singles saw them squeak home with just two balls and two wickets to spare.
• CANTERBURY u19 beat OTAGO u19 by 71 runs
On Lincoln No.3 it was a 36-over game and a good start by Canterbury and four-wicket haul for Libby Stead would ensure far less tension.
Harriet Graham helped get Canterbury going after they won the toss and batted with her knock of 32 at the top.
After she was bowled in the 11th, Chloe Deerness (3-24 off six) fought back with the ball and got Otago right back in it with three quick wickets, and captain Harriett Cuttance would later pick up a three-for as well.
But by then, a substantial partnership had formed between Canterbury Magician and captain Missy Banks (72 off 68, including 12 fours) and Georgia Edge (23 off 46). They put on 99 for the fifth wicket, and it would prove the difference.
Olivia Gain's 33 at first drop for Otago needed support as they chased Canterbury's 178/8, but she didn't find it as Stead went on the rampage.
Molly Dunlop made the first breakthrough in the fourth over and finished with 1-19 off her six, while Stead netted 4-27 off her eight overs, and was well supported by Jodie Dean (2-10) and Banks (2-26).
The task grew steadily more onerous for Otago who were bowled out for 107 in the 30th over, the match already well out of reach.
