Sunday marked the 100th domestic one-day game for Rachel Candy, erstwhile WHITE FERN and Central Hind, and nowadays (since 2010/11) a Magicians mainstay. Her side turned it on for her, taking a handsome nine-wicket win over the Otago Sparks at Hagley Oval — despite an annoying back injury (and is there any other kind) necessitating that bowler Candy play as a batsman only.
Rachel Candy has brought up her century of games in the one-day format. Photosport
It was local revenge for a three-wicket loss the previous day.
The Sparks, running hot and cold this season, had beaten the Magicians by three wickets in the Saturday game — led by England international Laura Marsh’s five for 32.
Marsh’s shining five-for on her Sparks debut saw the Magicians bowled out for 187 in 48.5 overs, tearing through the middle order as the Magicians took a rare hit.
Laura Marsh toured New Zealand with England last summer
Georgia Clarke had earlier removed the often productive Frances Mackay and Corinne Hall in consecutive balls and ended with a career best three for 47 in support. The Magicians were in all sorts at 89 for seven before tailenders Kirsty Nation (a career best 40) and Lea Tahuhu found 81 runs between them to give themselves something to bowl at.
Tahuhu had carried on to a record 10th wicket stand for the Canterbury Magicians with Gabby Sullivan, but a tally of 187 was never likely to be enough — particularly after Sparks captain Suzie Bates and Caitlin Blakely got 64 on the board for the first wicket before Blakely was stumped off Erin Bermingham.
Bates went on to top-score with 79, Marsh helping out with 33. That said, a late flurry of five for 25 from Mackay did give the hosts a short glimmer of hope before the Sparks chased down their target in 46.4 overs.
The Hobart Hurricanes’ Corinne Hall had made her debut for the Magicians in the match.
View scorecard
Stung by their performance, the following day the Magicians got revenge big-time with the crushing nine-wicket win at the same ground — and this despite soon to be recalled WHITE FERN Katey Martin pasting a century on the board for the Sparks (105 off 107) in a tally of 222 for eight.
Katey Martin has powered her way back into the WHITE FERNS. Photosport
It was the in-form Martin’s third one-day hundred, but Magicians captain Amy Satterthwaite had the perfect answer with an unbeaten 102 of her own — digging in with Frances Mackay (83 off 119) to build a matchwinning 181-run stand for the first wicket, finally broken at the end of the 41st over.
Amy Satterthwaite led from the front. Photosport
It was WHITE FERN Satterthwaite’s seventh century for her side in domestic one-dayers, and the first wicket stand was a Magicians record, beating the mark of 163 that had been set by Debbie Hockley and Paula Flannery 16 years earlier.
***
The Central Hinds hosted their one-day double-header against Wellington Blaze at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North — a great opportunity for the side, blazing Sophie Devine missing from their opponents’ line-ups with injury.
They got off to a winning start on Saturday, triumphing by 44 runs.
View scorecard
The Hinds may have been a little rusty with the bat, but they managed to string together starts, at least, from Anlo van Deventer (29), Jess Watkin (26), Kelly Rangi (29), Hannah Rowe (28) and Mikaela Greig (16) — a 40-run stand between Rangi and Rowe ended by a direct hit from Fulbrook to run out the latter in the 33rd over, just when it had looked as if they could capitalise.
Hannah Rowe
But the Hinds managed to push their total out to 164 before they were dismissed in the 48th over; and it would prove sufficient as hometown WHITE FERN Rowe then swept in to clear out the Blaze’s middle order for a matchwinning haul of 4-20 off just eight overs.
Earlier, the Blaze’s opening spinner Dee Doughty had collected three for 19, leggie Amelia Kerr two for 31 and seamer Allex Evans chipped in with two for 40 while the best of their batters would be Liz Perry, who raised a half century (53 from 101) in her 100th one-day game.
Liz Perry played her 100th match on a weekend full of milestones. Photosport
The poles reversed on Sunday, however, the Blaze batting first this time after winning the toss, and Perry again top-scoring, this time with a modest 33 off 62 before being run out in the 32nd over. Yet the Blaze’s 167 for nine would prove enough after they then dismissed the Hinds for 135 in 46 overs.
View scorecard
Kelly Rangi and Michelle Bunkall each contributed 34 for the Hinds, but Eimear Richardson, Doughty and Rosemary Cockle each took two wickets to keep the Blaze in contention for the 2016 Final.
***
The Auckland Hearts and Northern Spirit went head to head at Bruce Pulman Park in South Auckland — officially a home game for the Spirit, but the Hearts coming up trumps over and again to enhance their position at the top of the points table.
They have now opened up a 10-point lead over Wellington Blaze and the Canterbury Magicians.
Having already quashed the Spirit in Friday’s Twenty20, on Saturday an impressive bowling display helped them keep the victory train rolling.
Sharp early work had the Spirit five down within the first 15 overs, for just 64 on the board — a position from which they would surely find it difficult to recover.
The wickets kept falling at regular intervals and, despite a brief wag of the tail, they were all out for 154. Hearts bowlers Roz McNeil and Lulu Matthews both impressed, each picking up three wickets.
Sara McGlashan picking up from where she left off at the WBBL. Photosport
The Hearts then showed how it was done with the bat, opener Lauren Down setting the tone from the start. Down enjoyed a useful partnership with Sara McGlashan, who continued her strong form with 40. Together they pared down the bulk of the run chase before Down was able to close things out with Victoria Lind for an unbeaten 76, including eight boundaries.
View scorecard
The following day, the Hearts made it three from three today at Bruce Pulman with a 57-run Duckworth Lewis Stern as sweltering thunderstorms moved across Auckland later in the day.
The storm had already hit the Spirit by then, after impressive batting and bowling displays from the Aucklanders despite Siprit winning the toss and sending the Hearts in.
This time the Hearts lost opener Down early on, but her teammates showed strong intent and the runs started to pile on. Vice-captain Katie Perkins dominated at the crease with an outstanding unbeaten century.
McGlashan also produced a brilliant knock, her 71 contributing to Auckland’s climbing total. By the end of the 50 overs, the Hearts still had four wickets in hand — and a daunting 279 on the board.
In reply, Northern Spirit’s innings came to a halt after only three overs as the storm thundered in. Play was delayed for most of the afternoon, but eventually a resumption was possible, with the chase reduced to 24 overs and the target revised to 173.
Hearts captain Victoria Lind with plenty of reasons to smile. Photosport
The Hearts immediately picked up a spree of wickets, however, putting serious pressure on the home side’s chase. Northern opener Emma Parker looked like she would be the one to get going, but Lulu Matthews managed to knock her over for 36. Soon after that wicket, recent debutante Bella Armstrong got stuck in to finish with an outstanding four for 11.
View scorecard
The wickets had fallen steadily and, by the 22nd over, Northern Spirit were all out for 120, handing the Hearts even more points to cement their position as Women’s One-Day leaders with now just one doubleheader (Sunday 7 February and Monday 8 February) to come before the looming Final on 13 February.
The final two rounds are at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval, Auckland’s Melville Park and Dunedin’s University Oval.
