They bowled well and produced a tight performance in the field to restrict Wellington to a very gettable tally of 104 for eight in the Super Smash final at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
But they faltered with the bat and were left trying to club 20 off the final over.
They lost by eight runs — which sounds closer than it was.
Wellington picked up three wickets during the powerplay and were always in command from that point.
Otago got "stuck", but could be proud of what was a tremendous campaign, coach Craig Cumming said.
"Getting to the final and to be qualified top is something that this group can be very, very proud of.
"Unfortunately, we didn’t get over the line today.
"But that doesn’t take away the fact that this team has played some wonderful cricket. And, in my opinion, is a really good cricket side."
"For the first half of the game, I thought we were outstanding.
"We bowled brilliantly like we have all year.
"I thought Hayley’s [Jensen] captaincy was outstanding.
"And I thought we saved our best fielding performance till the final.
"And then, you know, we were chasing a below-par total.
"But, unfortunately, we maybe just got a little bit stuck.
"We started playing the situation instead of just playing the ball on its merit and trying to be proactive.
"And it’s just a really good lesson to remind yourself that you’ve got to go out and be positive. You’ve got to try and take the game on."
The Blaze stumbled with the bat too. Their tally looked awfully light.
But they were able to build pressure with the ball.
Australian all-rounder Hannah Darlington took four for 16 and top-scored with 26.
Classy White Ferns all-rounder Melie Kerr was influential as well. She took two for 15.
The Sparks started well.
Emma Black sent the first ball of the match sailing past leg stump for a wide.
Keeper Polly Inglis fumbled and the non-striker Rebecca Burns set off with the hope of burgling an extra run.
She got sent back but could not beat the throw by Olivia Gain.
Run out without facing. Ouch.
But Kerr, named ICC women’s cricketer of the year last month, started finding the gaps, and Darlington plundered several boundaries.
The partnership was building nicely until Kerr swept the ball in the air and Gain got under it.
Darlington handed over more initiative to the Sparks when she holed out.
Maitlin Brown clubbed Jensen back over her head for six to signal she had not given up on hauling her side through to a decent total.
But she tried to whip the ball through the leg side only to be trapped in front for a handy 24 by Gordon, who finished with two for 20.
Felicity Robertson grabbed three for 16, including two wickets from consecutive balls.
Otago slumped to 28 for three in reply.
Veteran Otago opener Suzie Bates got a faint edge through to the keeper on nine and Bella James got herself run out in calamitous fashion.
Gain went to the lap shot and was bowled for five when the situation called for some calm.
It was almost as if the Sparks had forgotten they could win the game by nudging singles.
She was yorked and bowled by Darlington for nine.
Kerr returned to the attack and accounted for Polly Inglis with a wrong-un.
The Sparks still just needed one useful partnership to win. But the home team were at the reins.
Robertson scored 29 not out from 29 balls, but the required run rate had slipped out of her range.
WELLINGTON
A Kerr c Gain b Browning 15 (22)
R Burns run out (Gain) 0 (0)
H Darlington c Carson b Gordon 26 (34)
J Kerr c Blakely b Robertson 3 (5)
M Brown lbw Gordon 24 (19)
J McFadyen c Black b Robertson 6 (13)
C King not out 13 (15)
S Mackinder st Inglis b Black 7 (6)
N Baird c Black b Robertson 2 (3)
N Codyre not out 6 (3)
Extras (w2) 2
Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 104
Fall: 1-1, 2-40, 3-34, 4-49, 60-5, 80-6, 92-7, 95-8.
Bowling: E Black 4-0-20-1 (2w), H Jensen 3-1-19-0, K Gordon 4-0-20-2, E Carson 4-0-23-0, A Browning 2-0-6-1, F Robertson 3-0-16-3.
OTAGO
S Bates c McFadyen b Darlington 9 (18)
B James run out (Mackinder) 12 (6)
O Gain b Darlington 5 (11)
H Jensen b Brown 6 (13)
C Blakely b Darlington 9 (11)
P Inglis lbw M Kerr 12 (14)
F Robertson not out 29 (29)
A Browning c Mackinder b J Kerr 2 (7)
K Gordon c Mackinder b A Kerr 2 (5)
E Carson c M Kerr b Darlington 0 (1)
E Black not out 6 (5)
Extras (2lb, 2w) 4
Total (for 9 wkts, 20 overs) 96
Fall: 1-20, 2-26, 3-28, 4-41, 5-55, 6-63, 7-70, 8-75, 9-76,
Bowling: J Kerr 4-0-18-1, M Brown 4-0-28-1 (1w), H Darlington 4-0-16-4 (1w), M Kerr 4-0-15-2, N Baird 4-0-17-0.
Result: Wellington won by eight runs.
