Mackay: We want bigger boundaries

Even after scoring 97, with the aid of 16 fours, Frankie Mackay still wants to see the boundaries in women’s cricket moved back.

The Canterbury Magicians captain was three short of her first T20 century yesterday, but, when asked after her innings about how the pitch was playing, she pivoted to say she remained frustrated by the position of the boundary rope.

‘‘I’m still going to say it, I’d like to see the boundaries a little bit bigger. I think it takes an element out of the game having people able to come in and run twos. You don’t see too much of that at the moment.

‘‘You see a lot of ones and fours, which is exciting for the game, but if we’re looking at really producing quality players I think we need them a wee bit bigger and it might make the bowlers a wee bit happier too.’’

The boundaries have been a jarring sight this season after New Zealand Cricket moved to staging doubleheaders of both the women’s and men’s Super Smash games on TV.

The women’s boundary rope has to be placed well inside the men’s, with officials, coaches and photographers walking around outside the rope, but inside the men’s boundary.

International Cricket Council rules state a women’s T20 boundary ‘‘shall be longer than 59.43 meters, and no shorter than 50.29m, from the centre of the pitch’’. The men’s boundaries ‘‘shall be longer than 82.29m, and no shorter than 59.43m, from the centre of the pitch’’.

At Hagley Oval, one of New Zealand’s bigger domestic cricket grounds, yesterday, there was a significant gap between the two boundaries because the full boundary reaches to about 75m.

White Fern Hannah Rowe cleared both the men’s and women’s boundaries with two of her sixes, but her innings of 45 off 35 balls was not enough for the Central Hinds to chase down Canterbury’s total of 168-5, losing by 64 runs.

Mackay’s innings, which saw 64 of her runs scored in boundaries, boosted her T20 Super Smash record this season to 356 runs at an average of 89 and strike rate of 110. Her previous best career high score was 64 before yesterday’s knock.

In the women’s 50-over competition she’s been even more prolific. In just six innings she’s scored three centuries and a top score of 140 in compiling 452 runs at 90.40.

The other match looked destined to be rained off before the skies finally cleared at University Oval in Dunedin, allowing the Auckland Hearts to chase a final-qualifying win in a six-over match against the Otago Sparks.

That result helped the Magicians qualify for next Sunday’s final against the Wellington Blaze, which will be played at the pre-determined venue of Eden Park in Auckland after the men’s Super Smash game between the Auckland Aces and Otago Volts.