The Otago Sparks might have been beaten even before they took the field for the twenty20 final against Wellington at a sun-drenched University Oval on Saturday.
They were certainly beaten once they took the park. The Blaze strolled to an emphatic 10-wicket win, knocking off the Sparks' meagre total of 97 with more than four overs to spare.
Australian import Erin Burns top-scored with an unbeaten 59 from 50 balls while experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Rachel Priest compiled 37 from 42 deliveries.
Talented 14-year-old legspinner Amelia Kerr and right-arm offspinner Eimear Richardson grabbed three wickets apiece. Kerr was particularly impressive and had a hat trick in her sights at one point.
Sparks captain Suzie Bates top-scored for her side with a scratchy innings of 34 and Katey Martin added 22.
No-one else in the Sparks line-up was able to make a significant contribution.
Bates was bitterly disappointed for her team but mostly for the poor performance her side put together.
The pressure of playing the final at home and in front of the cameras created a lot of additional anxiety in the camp.
''I think we'd be lying if we said there weren't more nerves than normal,'' Bates said.
''Even though we played in the [one-day] final last year, it is a whole different ball game when it's on TV and a lot of the girls have not played in front of the camera.
''You can only learn from that experience. We didn't give our best.
''Having it on TV was a step in the right direction, so if we get another chance, hopefully, we will bring our A game.''
Bates said the one-sided nature of the game was disappointing for the Sparks but also for ''women's cricket in general that that was the game we produced''.
''But I thought Wellington played a very good game of cricket and we weren't good enough.''
The Sparks upset Auckland in the one-day final last year, claiming their first title in 51 years.
Before that surprise result, the Sparks had struggled to match the leading teams, so to make two finals in two years was progress.
''Three years ago, when Warren [Lees, Sparks coach] came on board, if he'd said we'd win the 50-over competition and make the twenty20 final I would have told him he was crazy.
''The fact that we have done that means we are moving in the right direction. It is just some of our younger girls do need to step up because they are good enough.''
It was Wellington's third T20 title and a double for the province this season with the Firebirds winning the men's competition as well.
Blaze captain Sophie Devine had a four-pronged spin attack at her disposal and the quartet did a marvellous job of restricting the flow of runs and keeping the dangerous Bates tied down.
''The way they bowled today - they bowled a lot of dots which builds pressure and we spoke a lot about [doing] that but you still have to execute,'' Devine said.
''[Bates] is a player that once she is in for two or three overs can start to take the game away from you, so to keep her on I guess very little for quite a while really worked in our favour.
''And when we started taking wickets down the other end we knew the pressure was on her to score.''
Bates felt that pressure too, acknowledging she was ''caught in two minds knowing I had to bat deep in the innings which made me a bit tentative''.
