The Otago Sparks wicketkeeper will bring up her 100th List-A game for Otago when she takes her spot behind the stumps against the Wellington Blaze at the University Oval today.
"It’s pretty special.
"The Sparks have been a special team for me for a long time now and to bring up 100 games, I’m pretty proud of it."
There is no other ground at which Inglis would rather bring up the milestone — and her parents are travelling from Arrowtown to mark the occasion.
Inglis, 28, has been key for the Sparks since debuting in Invercargill while she was in year 11 at St Hilda’s Collegiate in 2012.
"I think the only thing I contributed for a long time was fielding.
‘It was pretty cool getting to see Katey Martin and Suzie Bates kind of go about their cricket for a long time and learn off them."
Martin, a long-time Otago and White Ferns wicketkeeper, had been a great sounding board for Inglis as she came through the ranks, and let Inglis take the gloves for a few games every season.
"That really helped to have her kind of there supporting me when I was doing that, made it feel a little less daunting.
"The way she kind of wicket-kept and the energy she brought to the game is something that I keep trying to do."
There have been many highlights, but it was hard to look past winning the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in 2013-14 — the Sparks’ first one-day title in 51 years.
"It was a bit of an underdog moment and I was able to contribute in that final with my schoolmate Caitlin [Blakely]."
Together they added 30 runs to help nudge Otago towards the title and were instrumental in the Sparks winning the 2023-24 title too.
Blakely top-scored with 50, while Inglis sealed the win with an undefeated knock of 35, another victory that rated high in Inglis’ career.
"Winning it last year was really cool and I was able to contribute in that one as well with some runs, and to do it at home was cool."
Inglis, who earned her maiden White Ferns’ contract this season, was a standout for the Sparks last season, finishing as the one-day competition’s second-highest run 2scorer with 324 and the Sparks’ leading scorer, averaging 54 runs.
She was also named the Sparks’ fielder of the year and players’ player of the year.
The Sparks have created plenty of success in recent years with a core group having played together for a while.
"They’ve been able to grow in confidence and been given the confidence by [coach] Craig [Cumming] to back themselves, which has meant that we’re all a lot more confident in what we’re trying to do.
"We all get on and really enjoy each other’s company and working for each other.
"Above all though, we have a lot of fun on the field."
The Sparks started their Hallyburton Johnstone defence with two bonus-point wins against Canterbury and are in good form to face Wellington today and tomorrow.
