Katey Martin will be livid.
Instead of celebrating her third one-day hundred in style, she was left mourning a nine-wicket loss to Canterbury at Hagley Oval yesterday.
The defeat has left the Sparks' one-day campaign precariously poised. Otago is in fifth place with 13 points and will need a whole heap of luck and back-to-back wins against Wellington at the University Oval this weekend to make the final.
Martin's knock of 105 was the backbone of Otago's innings of 222 for eight. She brought up her ton off 122 balls but could have done with more help from the middle and lower order.
Opener Caitlin Blakely fashioned a sedate innings of 34 from 90 deliveries in an 87-run partnership with Martin.
Laura Marsh added 20 but thereafter the wickets kept tumbling and Martin was left to do the bulk of the scoring from one end.
Canterbury cantered to victory, with Amy Satterthwaite and Frances Mackay putting together a wonderful partnership of 181. They guided Canterbury to a 10-wicket win during a twenty20 fixture at the venue on Friday and almost repeated the dose yesterday.
They remained in control of the run rate throughout with Mackay making 83 before she was undone by Suzie Bates with victory in sight. Satterthwaite managed to carry her bat, though, reaching 102 from a 151 deliveries.
The Sparks did have some joy over the weekend. England international off-spinner Marsh took five for 32 in her one-day debut for Otago to help dismiss Canterbury for 187 on Saturday. Pace bowler Georgia Clarke took three for 47.
The home side had slumped to 89 for seven but lower order players Kirsty Nation (40) and Lea Tahuhu (41) fought back.
But Bates clobbered 79 at the top of the order for Otago and Marsh made a valuable 33 to help the Sparks clinch a nervy three-wicket win.
