The Otago Sparks beat Auckland in the final of the one-day competition at Melville Park on Saturday by three wickets, thanks in no small part to a wonderful effort from captain Suzie Bates.
The dual basketball and cricket international took a hat trick to help dismiss Auckland for 245, effected a brilliant run-out, and scored 99 with the bat to take her side to the cusp of a historic victory.
''Everything fell into place and it all started with the first wicket and the run-out,'' Bates said.
''I had a lucky direct hit and I knew from that moment it was going to be a good day.''
Bates appeared to be guiding her side to victory with the bat but was bowled one short of a century and had to watch the final moments from the sideline. She found the experience nerve-racking.
''It was horrible,'' she said.
''Every run, I was sort of out of my seat. But when we did get it, it was awesome for those younger players to have done the job.
''If we hadn't got across the line, I would still have been pretty proud chasing that score and by how we'd played. But it was pretty tough work watching the last 20 runs.''
Victoria Abbott (66) and Caitlin Blakely (23 not out) eclipsed their previous highest scores and Emma Campbell took three for 47 to help set up the win.
Otago's only other success at the national level was in the summer of 1962-63, when the province won the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield. That was a two-day competition, held over a week.
