Loe’s blows break Auckland Hearts in Alexandra

Suzie Bates set them up and Molly Loe knocked them down.

The Otago Sparks’ one-two combo floored the visiting Auckland Hearts at Molyneux Park yesterday.

Bates flayed an undefeated 84 off 62 balls to set up the 47-run victory.

But Loe provided the finish. The 20-year-old was a late inclusion in the starting XI and the right-armer made the most of her opportunity with four for 12.

Three of her four victims picked out the fielder at mid-off and the fourth was clean bowled.

But the key breakthrough was the wicket of Maddy Green, who had looked in imperious form, smashing 26 from 15.

She could not get under a good length delivery from Loe and scooped a catch to P.J. Watkins.

That was the start of Auckland’s demise.

The Sparks posted 151 for four and the Hearts were rolled for 104.

But they had got through to 58 for one and were looking in command.

Loe helped seal the win in the 11th over with back-to-back wickets, including the scalp of Saachi Shahri for 37.

The hat-trick ball was negotiated safely but the contest had slipped away from Auckland.

Bates was instrumental but so was Loe.

"Molly was absolutely brilliant and got that key wicket of Maddy Green," Bates said.

"Today we probably lost the powerplay with bat and the ball, but to bounced back showed there is some real character.

"To have a player come in and almost take a five-for creates some selection dilemmas and that has not always been the case."

White Ferns all-rounder Hayley Jensen was ruled out with a niggle, and wrist spinner Sophie Oldershaw was ill.

The home side found themselves in trouble early.

Opener Bella James was bowled by left-arm spinner Fran Jonas for a three-ball duck in the second over.

Olivia Gain’s innings was awfully brief as well. She charged offspinner Anna Browning, but the delivery slipped past her pads and Izzy Gaze completed the stumping.

The Sparks took 11 off the last over of the powerplay to catch up on some lost ground.

Bates cracked away a lovely pull shot and Felicity Robertson brought some urgency to the crease.

She dispatched a memorable on-drive. But her innings was cut short on 22 by a terrific piece of cricket.

Bates slammed a drive to Green at mid-off. She scooped it up and heaved it at the one the stump she could see to run out Robertson, who had followed up a smidgen too much.

The rest of the over went smoothly, though. Bates slapped consecutive boundaries.

She shared in a critical 49-run stand with Polly Inglis (24) to help set up the side for a charge.

The Sparks put on 46 from the final five overs. Caitlin Blakely played a support role with an undefeated 15, but Bates was superb. She clocked nine fours and a six in a power-packed innings.

Green shaped as the key player to get Auckland through to victory and she made a statement early, pummeling English import Linsey Smith for four fours.

It was a monster over off the back of a rare costly over from Emma Black.

The team 50 came up early in the sixth over and the Sparks kept haemorrhaging runs.

But Green made a mistake out of nowhere and that is when it all turned sour for Auckland.

Otago

S Bates not out 84 (62)

B James b Jonas 0 (3)

O Gain st Gaze b Browning 1 (5)

F Robertson run out (Green) 22 (16)

P Inglis c Shahri b Bowden 24 (20)

C Blakely not out 15 (15)

Extras (1lb, 3w, 1nb) 5

Total (4 wkts, 20 overs) 151 (121)

Fall: 1-7, 2-14, 3-48, 4-97.

Bowling: B Illing 4-0-26-0 (1w), F Jonas 4-0-22-1, A Browning 3-0-20-1 (1w), M Penfold 2-0-21-0, J Penfold 2-0-20-0, A Hucker 2-0-15-0, S Bowden 3-0-26-1 (1w, 1nb).