Otago has pushed its way into the top three with a six-wicket win against Central Districts at the University Oval today.
The Sparks produced a discipline bowling display to dismiss the Hinds for a below par 108.
The chase got a little hairy. But captain Felicity Leydon-Davis and Polly Inglis put on an unbroken stand of 44 to help seal the win.
The Sparks needed 15 off the last two overs - which was a lot closer than the home side would have wanted. But Leydon-Davis drilled two fours and helped plunder 13 off the penultimate over to effectively win the game.
Wrist-spinner Sophie Oldershaw starred with the ball. She took three for 24, but openers Emma Black (one for 14) and Molly Loe (one for 11) set the tone with an early scalp each.
Central Districts made a disastrous start.
They lost form opener Natalie Dodd in the second over for two, and the dangerous Jess Watkin’s lean run continued. She hole out for a duck.
The Sparks should have had another important breakthrough.
Kerry-Anne Tomlinson lost her bat while diving to make her ground. The replay showed she was clearly out, but the umpire missed that one.
Georgia Atkinson got a couple of boundaries away to generate a pinch of badly-needed momentum. But her promising knock was snuffed out by Oldershaw, who trapped her in front for 19 from 23.
Oldershaw got some drift and turn and clattered a delivery into the off stump to dismiss Mikaela Greig for 2.
Tomlinson, who had another life on 12, thumped English Import Kirstie Gordon for a couple of fours.
But her luck ran out on 20 as she lofted a full toss to Linsey Smith.
Left-hander Flora Devonshire saved her team further blushes with 39 from 27. She combined with Ocean Bartlett to add 47 for the eighth wicket an get her side past 100.
The Hinds’ running between the wickets was terrible. They lost four wickets that way, but two of those were late sacrifices.
Rosemary Mair gifted the Sparks a head start with three wides in her opening over.
Bella James could not get going, but fellow opener Olivia Gain was hitting the ball cleanly.
However, she played one shot too many and lofted a slower ball from Claudia Green to Devonshire on 23.
That brought the vastly experienced Kate Ebrahim to the crease.
Otago’s best batter looked in good touch with a brace of shots down the ground.
On 11, she trudged off slowly having got some part of her glove on a delivery heading down leg side.
But the Sparks were able to nudge their way to victory. Inglis swiped 30 not out and Leydon-Davis was a steadying influence with 25 not out.
Had Mair held on to a catch when Inglis was on 19, the result might have been different.
