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Otago Sparks continue their unbeaten run as Canterbury Magicians slips to fourth straight defeat

Women's CricZone Staff

26 Dec 2021 00:00 IST

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Otago Sparks continue their unbeaten run as Canterbury Magicians slips to fourth straight defeat — Otago Sparks © Getty Images

Otago Sparks continued their unbeaten run with a fifth consecutive win in the Super Smash 2021-22. They defeated Canterbury Magicians by 12 runs in the Boxing Day game at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday (December 26). Suzie Bates’ stand with Katey Martin and some quality bowling from Eden Carson and Kate Ebrahim helped Otago seal yet another win.

Earlier in the day, Otago won the toss and elected to bat first. Polly Inglis teed off initially with her cameo of 23 off 19. She was dismissed in the last over of the powerplay by Melissa Banks, after which skipper Bates got together for a stand with Martin. The duo put on 70 runs from 55 balls, but the partnership came to an end when Martin fell for 38 off 32. In the very next over, Ebrahim fell for just one.

The two scalps slowed things down as Otago couldn’t get the final kick to finish the innings on a high. Bates got out at a wrong time for her knock of 47 off 48. Otago managed 27 runs in the last five overs, which was boosted only by the final over of Amy Satterthwaite which went for 13. Olivia Gain’s last ball six ensured that Otago finished on 136 for five in their 20 overs. Banks was the pick of the bowlers for Canterbury finishing with figures of 3 for 22.

ALSO READ: Suzie Bates and bowlers give Otago Sparks second win as they thrash Northern Brave

In reply, Canterbury was given a great start by Satterthwaite and Natalie Cox. They put on 42 runs off 28 balls, before Satterthwaite became the victim of Carson for 23. That wicket managed to break the momentum of the Canterbury innings as Otago started to creep back into the game. Skipper Frances Mackay was dismissed for just two and Jacinta Savage for five.

In the middle overs, Canterbury lost track as the required rate kept going up. Between the 12th and 17th over, they lost five wickets for not many runs putting them at 100 for eight. One of the more important wickets of Cox fell during that phase. She was dismissed for 37 off 36. With that collapse, the tailenders were left with too much to be done in the end.

Despite Jodie Dean’s 8-ball 12, Magicians fell short and were bowled out for 124. Otago’s bowlers were quite rampant in folding the Canterbury innings. Ebrahim and Carson picked up three wickets each while Emma Black got two scalps for herself.

Brief scores: Otago Sparks 136 for 5 in 20 overs (Suzie Bates 47, Katey Martin 38; Melissa Banks 3/22) beat Canterbury Magicians 124 all-out in 19.4 overs (Natalie Cox 37; Eden Carson 3/17, Kate Ebrahim 3/23) by 12 runs.

Suzie Bates Kate Ebrahim Canterbury Magicians Otago Sparks Eden Carson Super Smash 2021-22