The Otago right-arm strike bowler took just one delivery to add to her career tally.
She removed Wellington opener Jess McFadyen and then went to work on the rest of the top order to set up a seven-wicket win at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
The 22-year-old was hooping the ball in from well outside off and was unplayable at times.
Leigh Kasperek can attest to that. The former White Ferns all-rounder got bowled by a delivery which ducked back from so wide on the pitch it may have come from a different time zone.
Black ended up with four for 12 from 10 very impressive overs.
Wellington rallied from 20 for five to post 92.
Extras top-scored with 29. That will be an area the Sparks will want to improve.
Monique Rees made the next biggest contribution with 20.
Eden Carson (two for 11) and Felicity Robertson (two for 12) also bowled well for Otago, while new recruit PT Watkin struggled in her first outing. She went for 22 runs from three overs and dished up six wides and six no balls.
The Sparks’ chase suffered several setbacks.
Opener Olivia Gain nicked off third ball and Caitlin Blakely got set but was trapped in front for 11.
But opener Bella James and captain Robertson put on 56 for the third wicket to essentially clinch the victory.
James sliced a top edge to the keeper on 29, but Robertson was unbeaten on 38. She struck five fours but it was a patient knock. Batting was not easy on the surface and she showed good restraint.
Yesterday’s rematch was reduced to 25 overs apiece. Black grabbed another three wickets but Wellington clouted 168 for nine. McFayden made the largest contribution with 68 from 65.
The Sparks lost early wickets in reply.
James will not want to watch her dismissal again. She shuffled to off stump and tried to clobber it away but lost two of her three stumps. Leg stump mounted a lone vigil.
Polly Inglis (48 from 47) and Robertson (38 from 52) tried to get the chase back on track but the Sparks fell too far behind the required run rate and lost by 22 runs.
— In the other games, the Central Hinds had a five-wicket win against Canterbury in Palmerston North on Saturday. They chased a revised target of 208 off 48 overs, after Canterbury has posted 210.
Their return match was abandoned due to poor weather.
Northern Districts’ match against Auckland in Whangarei on Saturday was abandoned without a ball bowled.
But there was some action yesterday. Auckland won by 60 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
