Kate Ebrahim has held the team together while the likes of White Ferns trio Suzie Bates, Hayley Jensen and Eden Carson have missed chunks of the season with international or other commitments.
Her contribution with the bat, in particular, helped deliver the team glory in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in 2021-22.
She has been the leading scorer in that competition for the past three seasons.
In 18 list A games for Otago, Ebrahim has scored 1039 runs at an average of 86.58, including two centuries and nine half centuries.
She is also a useful change bowler and a very competitive team member.
Her continued exclusion from the White Ferns remained a mystery. And her absence from the Sparks contract list was buried deep in yesterday’s press release.
The issue was dealt with in this single line: "Kate Ebrahim was unable to commit to a full domestic contract with Otago this season."
Ebrahim could not be reached for comment yesterday and Otago coach Craig Cumming was keen to put the emphasis on other players.
Otago have contracted an exciting English left arm seamer in PJ Watkins. Medium pacer Chloe Deerness has been rewarded for the improvements she has made to her game with her first Otago contract, and Southlander Louisa Kotkamp, who impressed at the under-19 World Cup this year, has secured her first contract as well.
But the big news is the absence of Ebrahim.
The 31-year-old is the culture and leadership manager for the Otago Spirit rugby team, but her cricketing future remains unclear. While she is not contracted, she could still be selected for Otago.
But asked whether Ebrahim would feature for the Sparks this season, Cumming said it was personal to Ebrahim and he could not comment.
"I’ve got a whole lot of young players that I’m really excited about who will get extra opportunities," he said, when asked what impact Ebrahim’s absence would have on the side.
Watkins shapes as the most exciting addition. Left-arm seamers are in short supply in the women’s domestic game.
The 19-year-old came over from the United Kingdom and spent last summer in Christchurch playing for the Sydenham club, where fellow Spirit player Felicity Leydon-Davis coaches and plays.
Cumming saw her play for Canterbury A against Otago A towards the end of the season and was "really impressed".
"She is a big, tall left-arm bounce bowler which is a skill set we don’t have a lot of in New Zealand," he said.
"She is also a hard-hitting batter, so that spiked my interest.
"I recognised her skill set and she was really keen to relocate to New Zealand and become a qualifying player and try to play for the White Ferns.
"She is only 19 and has a whole lot of development ahead of her."
Otago Sparks
2023-24 contracts
Gemma Adams, Suzie Bates**, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Eden Carson**, Chloe Deerness*, Olivia Gain, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Hayley Jensen**, Louisa Kotkamp*, Felicity Leydon-Davis, Paige Loggenberg, Molly Loe, Sophie Oldershaw, PJ Watkins*.
*New Otago Sparks contract
**New Zealand Cricket central contract
