The Otago Sparks and Otago Volts have been running rampant to sit atop the Super Smash tables and are showing no signs of slowing down as the finals loom.
The Sparks have won five of their six games — dropping only their opener against Canterbury — and sit eight points clear of the defending champions the Wellington Blaze, whom the Sparks dispatched by seven wickets on Tuesday.
The Volts are much the same.
They have won four of their six games — with one loss and a niggly no-result against the Auckland Aces — and are six points clear of the Central Stags, whom the Volts pumped by eight wickets on Sunday.
That game was something special and showed the confidence and freedom with which the Volts are playing this season.
They have also been bolstered for today’s home game against the Northern Brave by the return of Black Caps all-rounder Glenn Phillips, who has been called into the side after Dean Foxcroft picked up a hand injury against Wellington.
Both teams have had contributions down the order with bat and ball.
Caitlin Blakely has been strong with the bat and is the Sparks’ leading scorer with 133 runs, notching her highest T20 score with an unbeaten 52 against Wellington.
White Ferns spinner Eden Carson has been picking off players for fun and is the competition’s leading wicket-taker with 14.
Kirstie Gordon (nine), Emma Black (eight) and captain Hayley Jensen (seven) have all been prominent in the wicket tally, while Suzie Bates (seven) leads the competition for catches.
Volts opener Dale Phillips has been impressive with the bat, smacking 154 runs to be the third-highest run-scorer in the competition, and leading all batters with 22 fours. He has also been a safe pair of hands in the field, leading the competition with nine catches.
Fellow Otago opener Jamal Todd was impressive against Central to finish unbeaten on 51, and Max Chu had a brilliant knock of 82 off 46 balls against Canterbury.
Seamer Andrew Hazeldine sits first-equal as the competition’s leading wicket-taker with nine, while Matt Bacon and Ben Lockrose are tied for third with eight.
After a spate of games at Molyneux Park, the Sparks and the Volts play their first T20 games at the University Oval today against the Brave.
Sparks player Felicity Robertson will play her 100th Super Smash game after spending three seasons with the Sparks and 11 with Northern.
Otago are home again on Saturday to Wellington before their final two games away to Auckland (January 23) and Northern (January 25).
The top three teams make the finals, and unless there is a dramatic reversal in form, both the Sparks and the Volts could be involved.
Top qualifiers advance straight to the final, while the No 2 and No 3 seeds play an elimination final.
All finals will be held at the Basin Reserve. The elimination final on February 1 is followed by the final on February 2.
Super Smash
University Oval, today
Otago Sparks (12.40pm v Brave): 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.
Otago Volts (4.25pm v Brave): Luke Georgeson (captain), Matt Bacon, Leo Carter, Max Chu, Ruben Clinton, Jacob Duffy, Andrew Hazeldine, Llew Johnson, Ben Lockrose, Dale Phillips, Glenn Phillips, Jamal Todd.
