In glorious conditions at the University of Otago Oval, the Sparks fell to an eight wicket loss in the Super Smash match.
The win cemented a new New Zealand record for the Blaze, winning 17 consecutive games. It surpassed the previous record it set from 2018 to 2020 with 16 wins.
White Ferns Suzie Bates and Melie Kerr were the stand out performers.
Bates notched up 75 runs, while Melie Kerr helped her side sail home with an unbeaten knock of 73.
Bates and Olivia Gain paired to open the batting for the home side.
Gain did not spend long at the crease, when she tried to push the ball up and over, only for it to land in the hands of Jess Kerr at extra cover.
It left the Sparks five for one at the end of the second over.
The Sparks opted to mix up its top order and brought in the experience of Hayley Jensen to pair with Bates.
They showed from the start the Sparks were determined to be aggressive with the bat.
Bates, as always, steadied her side’s innings, and hit a couple of nice boundaries early.
Jensen hit her next shot down leg side straight to Rebecca Burns and headed back to the sheds, leaving the Sparks 29 for two.
Bella James then came to the crease, moving up from her usual middle order spot.
She picked up where Jensen finished with some aggressive shots before she too sliced a ball in the air to Burns for her second catch of the day.
With the Sparks in trouble at 46 for three, Bates pulled the trigger.
She swept her first six of the day with a stunning shot off a Caitlin King ball and followed up with a four off the next.
The trusted partnership of Kate Ebrahim and Bates made an impact in the middle once again.
They combined for 49 runs for the fourth wicket.
Ebrahim whacked a ball in to the hands of Jess Kerr for her second catch to end the promising stand.
However Ebrahim stood her ground, signalling she was not out from bowler Xara Jetty’s no ball, forcing the umpires to check.
She was sent packing for 16 runs when it was deemed fine and the sparks were 102 for four.
As the Blaze looked to shut down the innings, it made a big break through with the wicket of Bates.
Bates hit the ball high and long but Melie Kerr moved into space nicely to take the catch.
She finished with another brilliant knock of 75 from 56 balls, including eight fours and one six.
Felicity Leydon-Davis (13) - the only player other than Bates or Ebrahim to reach double digits - made a nice cameo at the end, but the Sparks finished 127 for nine.
Nicole Baird was the best for the visitors, taking three for 23, and Jess Kerr, Jetley and Leigh Kasperek took two wickets each.
The Sparks were about 20 runs shy of what would have been the target and it looked to be an easy enough total for the Blaze to chase down.
Emma Black, who returned to led the bowling attack after missing the previous match due to Covid, made the Sparks break through in the third over.
She bowled Thamsyn Newton (7) with a beautiful ball ripping the stumps from the ground.
Melie Kerr entered the game and combined with Burns to make inroads into the Sparks' total.
Burns (32) smacked one six and two consecutive fours off a Blakely over.
She was finally taken in the ninth over when she hit an Ebrahim ball high and Blakely got under it.
It left the Blaze at 58 for two but still in a comfortable position.
Melie Kerr was in some form, taking the reins for her side with some aggressive running.
The Sparks struggled to restrict the visitors' run rate and Melie Kerr continued her form, smacking 10 fours and finishing unbeaten 73 off 54 balls.
Maddy Green (15) also chipped in for the Blaze to finish 131 for 2 in the 18th over for the win.
A moment of silence was held before the match for former New Zealand cricketer Bruce Murray who died aged 82 this week. He was the grandfather of Blaze players Melie and Jess Kerr.
