Otago's Saffron Wilson had the best day of her career but then had to watch as Rosemary Mair created history in an even better outing.
Wilson clouted her maiden list A century to help the Sparks post 246 in Invercargill on Saturday but it was not enough to secure a win.
The home team should have got a lot more, but Wilson’s departure for 109 from 97 balls triggered a dramatic collapse.
White Ferns medium pace Mair dragged Central Districts back into the contest with four wickets in four balls to help her side claim a 14-run win (DLS method).
It was the first instance of four in four in New Zealand women’s cricket in any format.
The 25-year-old finished with a career best six for 41.
Otago slumped from 230 for four in the 34th over to be all out in the 38th over.
Polly Inglis made a major contribution to Otago’s tally. She clubbed 60 from 49 and shared in 117-run stand with Wilson for the fourth wicket.
Rain interrupted Central’s reply when they were 96 for none in the 24th over.
They were ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation and collected the win.
Sparks coach Craig Cumming was disappointed with the result, but pleased with the way his side played that game.
"We got bowled out at the end but we still got a score that was more than competitive," he said.
"To see Saffron play the way she did was pretty special and she has been working so hard for a long time.
"I don’t think there would be a more popular hundred."
Wilson missed out on a contract this season and her grip on a spot in the starting XI was not firm. But she responded in wonderful fashion.
"Polly Inglis was simply outstanding as well and it gets toastage where the New Zealand selectors have got to start taking notice of the way she bats.
"She was proactive and went out from ball one and was scoring at a strike rate of 120.
"To me, when you look at some of the performances we are seeing from some players that they are picking, well, maybe they should go around and look at some domestic cricket because Polly’s innings was pure class."
Mair cannot get in the White Ferns at the moment either.
She moved the ball through the air and off the seam and claimed Olivia Gain, P.J. Watkins and Emma Black as her hat-trick victims.
The hat-trick was split across the last two balls of the 35th over and the first of the 37th.
Mair struck again next ball, bowling Sophie Oldershaw to create history.
Yesterday’s return match was abandoned without a ball bowled and Cumming was critical of the Queens Park venue, which has a history of drainage issue.
New Zealand Cricket withdrew the venue’s warrant of fitness in September 2021 due to drainage issues.
It returned to the domestic schedule this season.
"We should have got some play. It stopped raining at 11.30am but it was just soaked around the block," he said.
"We’ve had six hours of sunshine ... and we haven’t been able to get a ball bowled.
"For a first-class venue that is not satisfactory in my opinion."
In the other Hallyburton Johnstone Shield games played this weekend, Wellington recorded back-to-back comfortable wins against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval.
In Mt Maunganui, Northern Districts edged Canterbury by two-wickets in game one.
Otago
B James b Mair 3
S Wilson c Kumar b Newton 109
C Blakely b Mair 0
F Robertson c&b Bartlett 18
P Inglis c Atkinson b Newton 60
O Gain c Dodd b Mair 9
P Loggenberg b Green 2
P Watkins c Green b Mair 0
E Black b Mair 1
S Oldershaw b Mair 0
M Loe not out 2
Extras (5lb, 36w, 1nb) 42
Total (37.5 overs) 246
Fall: 1-6, 2-8, 3-99, 4-216, 5-230, 6-240, 7-240, 8-243, 9-243, 10-246.
Bowling: R Mair 9-1-41-6 (7w), C Green 7.5-0-38-1 (4), A Apperley 3-0-21-0 (1w), A Kumar 6-0-41-0 (1w), O Bartlett 7-0-57-1 (6w, 1nb), F Devonshire 3-0-21-0 (1w), T Newton 2-0-22-2 (7w).
Central
N Dodd not out 42
G Atkinson not out 43
Extras (2b, 9w) 11
Total (23.5 overs) 96
Bowling: E Black 5-0-14-0 (4w), M Loe 4-0-14-0 (1w), F Robertson 6-0-20-0, P Watkins 5-0-27-0 (1w), S Oldershaw 2-0-7-0, S Wilson 1.5-0-12-0.
Result: Central won by 14 runs (DLS method)
