Polly Inglis and Eden Carson teamed up to deliver the Otago Sparks an 88-run win against Canterbury in Rangiora on Saturday.
But the home side rallied yesterday to level the ledger.
The Sparks could manage only 180 and the Magicians ran that total down with the best part of eight overs remaining and four wickets in hand.
Opener Frankie Mackay whacked 50 from 61 balls to set a solid base. Then Izzy Sharp (45) and Jodie Dean (34 not out) put on 71 for sixth wicket to effectively seal the win.
Carson bowled well again. She took three for 36, including capturing the key wicket of Mackay. PJ Watkins produced a tidy spell of one for 25 from eight overs.
But there just were not enough runs to work with.
Caitlin Blakely (48) and Felicity Robertson (60) put on 65 for the third wicket. But the middle order of Inglis (8), Saffron Wilson (6) and Watkins (2) all missed out.
Nicola Clayton took three for 30 for Canterbury.
Saturday’s match went more to script for the Sparks.
Inglis made a patient 73 from 110 balls to help the Sparks post 217. Blakely made 42 and Watkins chipped in with 29.
Lea Tahuhu snapped up three for 37 and was the pick of the Canterbury bowlers.
Carson (three for 17) removed three of Canterbury’s top five, and Gemma Adams claimed three for 21 to help seal the win.
In the other games this weekend, Auckland registered back-to-back wins against Central Districts at Eden Park Outer Oval.
Wellington’s Georgia Plimmer blasted 147 — her maiden list A century — against Northern Districts to set up a 145-run win at Seddon Park on Saturday. But Northern rallied to win the return match by 57 runs.
Auckland lead the competition standings with 16 points from four games. Otago is in second with 10 points from Wellington (9 points), Northern Districts (7 points), Central Districts (6 points) and Canterbury (6 points).
