Classy White Ferns and Otago all-rounder Sarah Tsukigawa feels fortunate to have played cricket at the top level for as long as she did.
A month or so ago an international call-up for Paula Griffin would have seemed a very remote possibility.
The Silvers Ferns have never been shy to cherry-pick the best international talent.
Will the next Otago coach please put his hand up.
The Otago Nuggets came about as close to winning as they have in three years with a heartbreaking 73-70 loss to the Southland Sharks at the Edgar Centre on Saturday night.
Some numbers are special - others are a curse.
Otago will struggle to win the Lois Muir trophy but it can spoil the party for Auckland-Waitakere when the sides meet in Auckland today.
You get the feeling Tall Blacks and Otago Nuggets forward Craig Bradshaw would rather sit through back-to-back seasons of America's Got Talent than contemplate a loss to the Southland Sharks at the Edgar Centre tonight.
Mike Hesson delivered. He delivered the province's first national banner in 20 years when Otago won the one-day tournament in 2007-08. The following season, his side played some quite...
Heartening? Perhaps. But another loss all the same and Otago Nuggets coach Alf Arlidge was pretty annoyed about it.
Netball Otago has quietly reduced its stake in the Steel but will continue to have a strong voice in how the franchise operates, chairwoman Adrienne Ensor says.
Otago fast bowler Neil Wagner woke up a bit grumpy yesterday but went to bed having equalled a world record.
Otago Nuggets coach Alf Arlidge is a Perth Wildcats fan but found himself cheering for the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday night.
University-Grange has a score to settle but it will have to square the account without its star power.
Wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder was the big winner at the Otago cricket awards yesterday.
Perhaps it was desperation, maybe it was frustration, but the decision to switch around shooters Paula Griffin and Daneka Wipiiti worked wonders in the Steel's 49-40 win against the Canterbury Tactix at the Edgar Centre on Saturday afternoon.
The Otago Nuggets are the undisputed runts of the NBL litter, but have recruited well and might even register a win or two when the season gets under way on Wednesday.
Five wickets in one over. A double ton. Eleven centuries. Six five-wicket bags. Bowling Auckland out for 46. An undefeated campaign.
Otago captain Craig Cumming will probably return for another season but not as the skipper.
Tactix shooter Donna Wilkins is probably still concealing a sly smile after she helped mastermind the downfall of her former side just over a week ago.
