The Otago Sparks and Volts should each be in the driver’s seat as they march into the tail end of their Super Smash campaigns today.
Both teams are away to Auckland this afternoon then are away to Northern on Saturday for their final round-robin games of the season.
They wrap up their Super Smash regular season five days earlier than some other teams, so they will need to be on their game to strike a good net run rate to remain in the top two.
The Sparks are safe at the top of the table, while the Volts sit second and should be a sure thing for the playoffs.
The Sparks have won six of their eight games to notch up 24 points and should remain top of the table.
Wellington are second on 20 points, followed by Northern (16), Canterbury (12), Auckland (10) and Central (6).
Sparks spinner Eden Carson remains the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 17, and Kirstie Gordon (10), Hayley Jensen and Emma Black (both nine) are also in the top five for wickets.
Suzie Bates (nine), Black (seven) and Bella James (five) have taken the most catches, while Carson has four run-outs to her name.
The Sparks were clinical the last time they met Auckland and secured a seven-wicket victory.
They have had the benefit of players across the roster stepping up with the bat in different games to help guide them through.
The Volts are in a slightly different spot.
They have won four of their eight games this season, losing three — including their past two games — and recording one no-result.
That no-result came against Auckland when the Volts were on track to record another victory so they will be hoping to bring that performance to the Eden Park outer oval this afternoon.
The Volts sit second on the table with 18 points but they have the best net run rate in the competition of 0.54 and that should be enough to keep them in the playoff picture.
A win over Auckland this afternoon would all but secure their place.
Central (22 points) are top, Northern (16) are third, but Auckland (12), Canterbury (12) and Wellington (8) are all outside chances.
Canterbury and Wellington still have three games in hand.
Andrew Hazeldine and Ben Lockrose are joint-leading wicket-takers for the Volts with nine each and Max Chu is the leading scorer with 225 runs.
Dale Phillips leads the competition with nine catches.
Both the Sparks and the Volts are travelling with 13 players for the double away fixtures.
Dean Foxcroft and Jake Gibson return from injury, Black Cap Glenn Phillips remains and PJ Watkins will travel with the Sparks.
The top three from each competition make the playoffs at the Basin Reserve on February 1-2.
The No 1 seeds automatically qualify for the final and the other two play in the elimination final.
Super Smash
Auckland, today
Otago Sparks (12.40pm): Hayley Jensen (captain), Suzie Bates, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Eden Carson, Olivia Gain, Kirstie Gordon, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Molly Loe, Felicity Robertson, PJ Watkins.
Otago Volts (4.25pm): Luke Georgeson (captain), Matt Bacon, Leo Carter, Max Chu, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Jake Gibson, Andrew Hazeldine, Llew Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Dale Phillips, Glenn Phillips, Jamal Todd.
