Unlucky break sinks Sparks’ hopes
CANTERBURY fumbled its way to victory.
But Otago will have to put Saturday’s crushing disappointment at Hagley Oval behind it quickly.
The Sparks play Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval this afternoon.
It is an opportunity for redemption after blowing the chance to upset Canterbury at home.
Canterbury posted a decent total of 132 for eight. But Millie Cowan, in her 50th twenty20 for the province, blasted Otago into a commanding position.
She swatted 50 off 36 balls but was out very next ball in unfortunate circumstances.
She danced down the wicket, but Kate Ebrahim’s delivery dipped under her bat.
Wicketkeeper Laura Hughes failed to glove the ball but it rebounded off her body and on to the stumps.
Not the slickest glovework ever, but a stumping all the same.
Otago still should have still won the game from there. The Sparks needed just six off the last over, but Frankie Mackay turned a probable fivewicket loss into a threerun win.
She nabbed two wickets in the last over to help restrict the Sparks to 129 for seven.
Earlier, the visitors had made the perfect start through teenager Molly Loe.
The 17yearold got an outswinger past the bat of Jacinta Savage to take a wicket with the first ball of the match.
Emma Black trapped Natalie Cox lbw in the next over and there should have been a third wicket inside the powerplay.
The dangerous Amy Satterthwaite was dropped on three at midon by Cowan.
It was a pretty simple catch, and the elegant lefthander cashed in by clubbing a couple of boundaries in the next over.
The former White Ferns captain then used her feet well to hit down the ground and break up the length of Otago’s spinners.
Ebrahim played a nice supporting role at the other end. She has been in impressive form with the bat this season, but dragged a short delivery to the fielder at midwicket on 22.
The 60run partnership had seemingly set the home side on the course towards a challenging total.
But with Satterthwaite’s dismissal for 36 shortly after, the trajectory slumped.
Polly Inglis pulled off a stunning onehanded catch to send the hardhitting Kirsty Nation back to the dressing room.
But Canterbury had held back regular opener Mackay and she helped Canterbury edge past 130 with an undefeated 26 from 20 deliveries.
Opening up for the Magicians, White Ferns fast bowler Lea Tahuhu then produced a tremendous opening spell of three overs. She removed opener Inglis with a short delivery and went for just three runs.
Newly promoted opener Bella James collected way too many dot balls during the powerplay, but there were plenty of wides on offer as compensation.
And Katey Martin looked positive right from her arrival at the crease. She has had a lean run recently but combined in a threatening partnership with Cowan.
The pair put on 42 before Martin got an edge through to the keeper with her own score also on 42.
That left the Sparks needing 44 off seven overs. It was very doable, but Gabby Sullivan responded with a tight over for Canterbury.
It created enough pressure to force a mistake from Caitlin Blakely.
She shuffled to off and looked to whack the ball to fine leg but was bowled for a duck by Savage.
It set up a contest between Tahuhu, who still had one over left, and Cowan who was the key wicket for Otago.
Cowan won that contest and then danced down the wicket to smash a delivery from Mackay for six.
But her eventual messy stumping sealed the Sparks’ fate.
UniversityGrange 203 beat Green Island 196
UniversityGrange opener Jacob Cumming plundered 96 from 98 balls to help his side register its first win in the premier grade oneday competition this season.
He clouted four sixes and eight fours to help his side post 203 against Green Island at Logan Park on Saturday.
He was eventually bowled by Nick Parata two short of the century milestone.
Parata had a good day as well. He nabbed five for 38 in a losing effort.
Green Island coach Dion Lobb also made a surprise appearance at the bowling crease.
He retired from playing in 2019, but has added another wicket to the more than 850 he took during a long career for the Swamp Rats.
Green Island had a lot of players make starts during the chase, but noone was able to go on.
Seamer Usman Shah snapped up four for 26 and Muhammad Jawad three for 39 to help bundle Green island out for 196 and seal a tense sevenrun win.
NE Valley 212 for seven lost to Albion 213 for one
Unorthodox Albion opener Max O’Dowd cracked an undefeated 102 to help his side dispatch North East Valley by nine wickets at Bishopscourt.
The twenty20 champion posted 212 for seven for its 50 overs.
Tom Griffin topscored with 64 from 92 and Travis Muller made a healthy contribution with 39 not out.
Medium pacer Josh TasmanJones was the pick of the Albion bowlers, with two for 21 from 10 overs.
Angus McKenzie went wicketless but he was miserly as well, going for under four an over.
Albion made relatively short work of the chase, thanks to O’Dowd. He found the rope nine times and hit four sixes.
He also combined in a damaging 91run stand for the opening wicket with TasmanJones.
When TasmanJones was run out on 49, Jesse Simpson stroked an unbeaten 46 from 62 balls to keep the pressure on.
Taieri 134 lost to CDK 136 for three
CarisbrookDunedin/ Kaikorai was too strong for Taieri at Tonga Park.
It rolled its opponent for a modest tally of 134 and cruised to victory in the 24th over.
Richard Sillers (two for 27) struck second ball, as part of removing both openers rather quickly.
Beckham WheelerGreenall provided some resistance with a knock of 36, and Regan Flaws added 25 and later also nabbed a couple of wickets.
But Kurt Johnston ripped through the middle order. He captured three for 22.
CDK openers Camden Hawkins (60) and Vinay Chandrappa (23) put on 76 for the first wicket and the chase was a breeze thereafter.
Fergus Ellis chipped in with 30 to help seal the win.
Round eight was played yesterday. See tomorrow’s edition for a summary.