And a monumental miscalculation that did not do the Otago Sparks any favours.
They were well-beaten by Northern Districts in Dunedin yesterday. The visitors won the fixture by 22 runs (DWL method) to clinch a spot in the playoffs and eliminate the Sparks.
They were the better team on the day, no doubt. But the game finished 35 minutes ahead of schedule, which raised eyebrows.
The Super Smash game was supposed to finish around 3.30pm. But Chamari Athapaththu bowled the final ball of the game at 2.55pm with the Sparks 64 for six.
Athapaththu was superb with the bat. The Sri Lankan international stroked a masterful 46 from 37 balls to help her side post 94 for one from 12 overs.
The Brave’s innings was interrupted several times, forcing the umpires to reduced the overs.
They did not always appear on top of the calculations.
The game was reduced to 16 overs a side following the first break and then amended to 17 overs a side midway through the second over after play had resumed.
The major miscalculation arguably happened during the second break. Despite the players only being off the field for nine minutes, the game was reduced further from 17 overs a side to 12.
There was more rain during the innings break and further calculations had to be made.
But the upshot was the Sparks were set a revised target of 87 runs from nine overs.
That was always going to be a steep challenge, made even tougher when Suzie Bates was run out for eight.
A spokesman for New Zealand Cricket said they could not comment because they were unable to debrief with the umpires as they were standing in the late game between the Volts and Northern Districts.
While it was a disappointing end, Sparks coach Craig Cumming was upbeat about his side’s campaign and philosophical about the early finish.
"There were two good teams fighting it out for a playoff spot and you really want a [full game] to be able decide it, so that was a shame," he said.
Asked if the umpires miscalculated he said he had looked at his watch and thought "there was a lot of time left".
"But you’ve got to trust the people in charge that they’ve got it right, but it does not change the result.
"We can asked these questions, but right now we’ve just got to congratulate the Brave."
Athapaththu made a blistering start. She clipped the second ball of the match away for four and dispatched a lovely drive down the ground.
She also clobbered a delivery from spinner Eden Carson over deep backward square for six.
Fellow opener Jess Watkin (29 not out) had seen precious little of the strike and watched from the non-striker’s end as Athapaththu crashed another delivery away, this time the ball disappearing over wide midwicket for six.
Athapaththu eventually holed out at long-off just before the second rain break.
Bates blazed the first ball through cover for four to get the chase off to a bright start.
But her run out and was a hammer blow and wickets tumbled as the Sparks abandoned all caution and were punished rather than rewarded.
Jensen got promoted to thump it. She tried to do just that and danced down the wicket, but Watkin slipped it past her and Holly Topp stumped her.
Caitlin Blakely top-scored with 20 not out from 13 balls.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
C Athapaththu c Robertson b Smith 46 (37)
J Watkin not out 29 (27)
C Gurrey not out 12 (7)
Extras (2lb, 3w) 5
Total (for 1 wkt, 12 overs) 94
Fall: 1-68.
Bowling: E Black 3-0-24-0 (1w), H Jensen 3-0-24-0 (2w), E Carson 2-1-7-0, L Smith 2-0-20-1, S Bates 1-0-7-0, F Robertson 1-0-10-0.
OTAGO
S Bates run out (Wolland/Topp) 8 (5)
B James b Downes 8 (7)
H Jensen st Topp b Watkin 6 (9)
F Robertson c Downes b Watkin 4 (7)
P Inglis c Agafili b Patel 7 (7)
C Blakely not out 20 (13)
O Gain run out (Patel/Naidu) 2 (3)
L Smith not out 7 (3)
Extras (2lb) 2
Total (6 wkts, 9 overs) 64
Fall: 1-14, 2-17, 3-28, 4-29, 5-44, 6-50.
Bowling: N Patel 2-0-18-1, M Downes 2-0-13-1, J Watkin 2-0-5-2, Chamari Athapaththu 2-0-17-0, S Naidu 1-0-9-0.
Result: Northern Districts won by 22-runs (DWL method)
