Sparks
Season in a nutshell
"Suzie Bates who?", Polly Inglis joked during a post-match interview on Spark Sport.
It was less of a gentle poke in the ribs for Bates and more of a pat on the back for Otago openers Olivia Gain and Bella James, who stepped up in Bates’ absence and blasted some quick runs at the top of the innings.
But it was Inglis who was collecting the player of the day trophy, hence her appearances on television.
She had a mixed season behind the stumps and at the batting crease. But she stepped up at the end of the season.
She anchored the innings in back-to-back successful chases against Canterbury to help seal a home venue for the elimination final. That game was also against Canterbury and the Sparks faltered in the rain-affected match.
They got off to a slow start and were 22 for two after 4.2 overs when the rain interrupted play. When the match resumed they had 8.4 overs left and struggled to find boundaries. Inglis was one of the few to enhance her reputation with 26 from 23 balls. But her departure triggered a collapse.
The Sparks defended the 81 they managed to score stoutly, but Canterbury captain Amy Satterthwaite carried her side to victory with an undefeated 30 in what is likely her last season for the province.
White Ferns trio Eden Carson, Hayley Jensen and Bates were unavailable for the business end of the campaign, but the Sparks discovered some new depth and that bodes well for future campaigns.
Emma Black and Kate Ebrahim took 12 wickets apiece, while Ebrahim also scored heavily with the bat.
Bates only played six games but led the scoring for Otago with 293 at 73.25, while Carson took seven wickets at 18.57 in her six matches for the province.
Best game
Great effort to overhaul Canterbury’s total of 166 for four at the University Oval on Waitangi and book a home elimination final.
Worst game
Produced a flat performance in the elimination final, limping to 81 for nine from 13 overs.
MVP
Kate Ebrahim (267 runs at 29.66) embraced the challenge of batting at a higher tempo and grabbed a dozen wickets as well.
Most improved
Polly Inglis took on more of a load this year. She took over the gloves from the long-serving Katey Martin and shook off a poor start with the bat to shine in the big games.
Grade
B+
Volts
Season in a nutshell
Volts captain Hamish Rutherford told 1 News reporter Maddy Lloyd that it was "a trip down to Kaka Point without our cricket gear and a box of Speight’s" which helped the Volts move from Super Smash wooden-spooners to one of the form teams in the competition.
It might also have had something to do with the extra mileage the bowlers were able to get on grass at the new winter marquee at Tonga Park.
Dean Foxcroft’s return from a two year Covid-enforced exile had a big impact as well. He never failed to make an impact with either the ball or bat and sometimes both at once.
The punt to promote the under-utilised Jake Gibson to the top of the order proved inspired. He made an immediate impact and the move caught the opposition off guard.
The Volts strung together a six-game unbeaten streak which featured five wins and a rare tie against Auckland. The last over from Matt Bacon (13 wickets at 23.23) in that tied game could have gone a lot better. But the new father bounced back with a five-wicket bag to help seal a tense four-run win against Central Districts in Nelson.
Michael Rae took a bunch of wickets (16 at 15.93) as well, but both he and Bacon blotted their copybooks when they were forced to dye their mugs blond as a result of some kind of cruel team game.
But ultimately the Volts lost the two games that counted. They were well-beaten by Canterbury when a home final was at stake, and then came up 17 runs short in the rain-affected elimination final against Northern Districts.
Rutherford did not play in the elimination final. He injured his back prior to the warm up and his tactical nous was sorely missed.
Best game
Chased down 187 to beat a classy Central Districts outfit by four wickets at the University Oval. That was the game in which Ben Lockrose thumped 58 from 26 balls in a withering assault.
Worst game
The seven-wicket loss to Northern Districts in Queenstown was painful. The Volts lost three wickets during a scoreless three-over period and stumbled to 123 for eight.
MVP
Dean Foxcroft was not just Otago’s best player — he was the best in the competition. We offer these numbers as cast iron proof: 424 runs at 47.11, nine wickets at 19.33, nine catches in 11 games.
Most improved
Jake Gibson went from under-utilised medium pacer to devastating opening batter. No-one saw that coming. least of all the opposition. His highlight was a knock of 96 against Canterbury.
Grade
A-
The finals: Chch, today
Women’s final
Wellington v Canterbury, 2.30pm
Head-to-head
Wellington beat Canterbury twice during the round-robin — by 11 runs at Hagley Oval on New Year’s Day, and by 114 runs at the Basin Reserve on January 23.
Form
- Wellington (won 8, lost 1) breezed through the round-robin and appeared destined for another unbeaten run. But a desperate Auckland side inflicted a 44-run defeat on the Firebirds in their final round-robin game on February 5 to expose some vulnerabilities.
- Canterbury (won 7, lost 4) is fresh from an epic three-match series with Otago in which it won the one game that really counted. Was humbled by Wellington at the Basin Reserve earlier in the season, but gets to piggyback on the Kings’ success and will host the final.
Key players
- Super Smash leading scorers Kate Anderson (441 runs at 55.12) and Amy Satterthwaite (376 at 62.66) have done the bulk of the scoring and are absolutely critical to Canterbury’s chances. Seamer Gabby Sullivan is the competition’s leading wicket-taker and another player the home team will look to to make an impact.
- White Ferns discard Leigh Kasperek continues to take wickets (15 at 11.86) despite her non-selection in the national side. Fellow spinners Xara Jetly and Nicole Baird have 18 wickets between them, while Rebecca Burns has been in good form with the bat at the top of the order and Australian duo Charli Knott and Laura Harris are looking threatening as well.
Prediction
Satterthwaite is tipped to retire at the end of the season and the Canterbury captain will be determined to leave with another trophy. It would be an upset, though.
Men’s final
Canterbury v Northern Districts, 6.30pm
Head-to-head
Canterbury won both round-robin games quite comfortably. It won a shortened 14-over fixture by nine wickets at Bay Oval before Christmas and dismissed the Brave for 106 to win by 48 runs at Hagley Oval last month.
Form
- Canterbury (won 6, lost 4) started slowly but has won five of its last six games. It had a good win against Otago last up and has also had the edge over the Brave. It is the form team in a tight competition.
- Northern Districts (won 5, lost 3) have been mixed in a campaign that has been impacted by poor weather. But the defending champions have a lot of talent to call on and knocked out Otago in Dunedin on Thursday.
Key players
- If Tim Seifert and Katene Clarke bat like they did against Otago on Thursday, Canterbury will have a few problems to solve. The Brave have some big hitters further down the order as well in Brett Hampton and Mitchell Santner. Santner’s overs will be another puzzle to solve, and Neil Wagner is always up for a contest.
- Opener Chad Bowes (342 at 42.75) and Leo Carter (268 at 53.60) shape as the main threats, while Ken McClure has struck some late form. Leggie Todd Astle has a great economy and 10 wickets to boot, while seamers Zak Foulkes, Angus McKenzie and Will O’Rourke all have 12 wickets apiece.
Prediction
The Brave has more match-winners in its line-up and that counts in the big games.
