2021/22
ROUND 5
Canterbury Magicians lost to Otago Sparks by 6 wickets
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
20 November 2021
The Otago Sparks crashed the party at Hagley Oval as Canterbury Magicians veteran Amy Satterthwaite broke the New Zealand record for most List A appearances by a woman.
Satterthwaite's 302nd one-day match sent her past Sara McGlashan's former record, but it wouldn't turn out to be a memorable occasion for the popular star after she was dismissed for just 13.
Captain Frankie Mackay was already back in the pavilion and the pressure went on the remainder of the home line-up to step up in the wake of their most senior players.
And, Abby Gerken did just that - the first drop producing her maiden List A half century in an 82-run stand for the third wicket with Nat Cox.
Gerken batted into the 26th over for her 76-ball 50, but was caught behind off Hayley Jensen immediately after celebrating her maiden milestone.
From there, the Magicians struggled to find a meaningful partnership, losing regular wickets as the pressure mounted before perishing in just the 45th over.
Their total of 197 never looked likely to threaten the star-stacked Sparks - for whom the diminutive destroyer Eden Carson had taken 3-24 and Molly Loe, Jensen and Sophie Oldershaw a brace each in a tight team performance with the ball.
By drinks, the Sparks had found their first 80 runs already and needed just 118 more at 3.69 per over, albeit with the hiccup of Suzie Bates departing scoreless in the first over and first drop Bella James bowled by Mackay on 26.
Kate Ebrahim was already on the charge.
Her knock of 66 got the Sparks off to their healthy start, and she would share a century stand with Caitlin Blakely (63) for the third wicket before Jacinta Savage finally prised them apart in the 34th over.
By then, the Sparks were 164/3 and well on their way to a third bonus point victory from their three starts this summer, extending their lead at the top of the table.
Blakely (below) would reach 63 before Katey Martin smacked the winning boundary in just the 40th over.
