The Otago Sparks took another hit at home in Oamaru while the Central Hinds took advantage to scramble up from the bottom of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield ladder in the second of three encounters at Centennial Park across the formats.
Scores
Electing to bat, the Hinds produced one of their best team performances of the season, starting with a 55-run platform laid down by Becky “Boomer” Burns and young Emily Cunningham who on this occasion led the charge with her positive 32.
When the partnership was broken in the 14th, hard hitter Jess Watkin picked up the baton with a half century smashed off 48 balls (8x4, 1x6) to put the Hinds in a good position.
She was assisted by captain Anlo van Deventer who was on the verge of a half ton of her own as she hit her own wicket, a bonus for Leigh Kasperek (3-36) who had already removed Cunningham.
Wickets began falling, but the Hinds’ solid start would come back to haunt the Sparks, particularly when they got off to a rocky one themselves at 24 for two.
Captain Kasperek (23) steadied the ship with Polly Inglis who top-scored with 65, but after young Georgia Atkinson broke the partnership, Watkin (3-23) zeroed in for two quick wickets to have the Sparks 77 for five.
Even with WHITE FERN Hannah Rowe playing as a batsman only, the Hinds attack was up to the task as van Deventer shuffled effectively through seven bowling options en route to the youthful side’s second one-day win of the summer.
