Auckland’s big guns fire to lift Hearts to crucial win over Otago Sparks

At Eden Park, Auckland: Auckland Hearts 146-6 (Maddy Inexperienced 77 not out from 56; Prue Catton 39 off 40; Hayley Jensen 1-6 from 3) beat Otago sparks 137-8 (Caitlin Blakely 50 not out from 40; Fran Jonas 3-23 from 4) by 9 runs. Click on right here for the complete scoreboard

Speak about delivering a masterful over on the dying.

Auckland Hearts seamer Bree Illing fired down a maiden-wicket to safe her facet a nine-run win towards the Otago Sparks at Eden Park on Sunday.

Needing 10 runs off the ultimate over to win, Otago’s Eden Carson did not make contact with the primary 4 deliveries, earlier than she was caught from the penultimate ball of the match.

In the meantime, Caitlin Blakely, who had struck a positive 50 from 40 balls to provide her facet a sniff, may solely watch on.

Illing’s glorious over adopted on from the Hearts’ two massive weapons – White Ferns Maddy Inexperienced and Fran Jonas – firing because the hosts lastly dug themselves out of the gutter within the Tremendous Smash standings.

Inexperienced struck an excellent unbeaten 77 not out from 56 balls on a floor which most gamers had points getting themselves in on.

In a spot of hassle at 8-2, she and Prue Catton (39 off 40) placed on 103 runs for the third wicket, propelling them to a goal which seemed like greater than sufficient for a lot of Otago’s chase.

Nevertheless, that was earlier than Blakely took benefit of Catton placing her down early doorways, a catch which might have decreased Otago to 62-6.

The massive second

Look no additional than Jonas bowling out the ever-dangerous Suzie Bates for 18. Bates was simply beginning to get going when she stepped throughout her stumps and tried to paddle Jonas positive.

She missed, leaving the Sparks’ center and decrease order to select up the items with them 56-4.

Greatest with the bat

Inexperienced made batting look simple on a pitch many others didn’t, taking her time initially to get a really feel for the tempo and bounce.

When she walked off on the change of innings, she’d hit 10 fours in her unbeaten 77.

Greatest with the ball

Pretty much as good as Illing was on the dying, Jonas will get the nod for her positive spell of spin bowling. She snared 3-23 from 4 overs, and accounted for the in-form Bates.

The massive image

This was a well-liked lead to Canterbury, the place the fourth-placed Magicians stay simply 4 factors behind the Sparks, who would have gone outright second with a win.

As for the Hearts, equal with Canterbury on 12 factors, they aren’t but out of the playoff image.