The Otago Sparks will be without White Fern all-rounder Hayley Jensen for their crucial twenty20 match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve this afternoon.
Jensen has been a revelation for the side since transferring south from Canterbury this season.
The 27-year-old fractured the little finger on her right hand while fielding during a training session on Thursday.
Jensen has been batting in the top order and is a key bowler, so her absence will leave quite a gap in the side.
Top-order batsman Caitlin Blakely replaces Jensen in the 12 and coach Nathan King said the rest of the bowling attack would have to step up in her absence.
"It is a massive loss," King said.
"She has scored a lot of runs for us this season and also has the ability to bowl at any stage for us.
"We’ll have a reshuffled [batting] order but we are pretty fortunate with the bowling resources we have.
"Suzie [Bates] only bowled two overs in four games for us so we know we have someone there who can come in and do the job.
"But Hayley is a frontline bowler for us, so it is a big loss."
Jensen may struggle to be fit in time for the Sparks’ back-to-back games at Molyneux Park on December 29 and 30.
The Sparks have had one win from four games and need to start winning and keep winning to make the playoffs.
King thinks his side will need six wins in total to make the top three. It could possibly slip through with five but either way his side needs to go on a winning streak.
Today’s match against Wellington is arguably the toughest.
"They appear to be the strongest team and so far they have performed that way. If we don’t get up against them, we’ll be in a position where we need to win our last five games."
The Blaze has won all three of its games so far, including a comfortable 66-run win against the Sparks in the opening round.
Coach Ivan Tissera has made one enforced change from the side.
Beth Molony is unavailable as she captains the Wellington under-19 women’s team at the national tournament in Lincoln, so Allex Evans comes into the side.
Batsman Caitlin King and all-rounder Maneka Singh have also been added to a 14-strong squad.
Otago v Wellington
Basin Reserve, today, 12.40pm
Otago: Katey Martin (captain), Suzie Bates, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Eden Carson, Millie Cowan, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Gray, Lisa Griffith, Bhagya Herath, Bella James, Sophie Oldershaw.
Wellington: Sophie Devine (captain), Rebecca Burns, Deanna Doughty, Allex Evans, Maddy Green, Liz Green-Perry, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Caitlin King, Jess McFadyen, Thamsyn Newton, Rachel Priest, Maneka Singh.
