The North Island made it three in a row after beating the South Island by 14 runs in the final Twenty20 match of the series at Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Match 3: Twenty20
Toss: South Island won the toss and elected to bowl
Result: North Island won by 24 runs
North Island 141/7 (Rachel Priest 88, Kate Pulford 2/32, Emma Campbell 3/18) beat South Island 128(Kate Pulford 47, Rachel Candy 2/21, Kate Broadmore 2/16, Sian Ruck 2/30) by 14 runs
Opener Rachel Priest got the North Island off to a rollicking start with a blistering 88 off just 57 deliveries.
The North Island wicketkeeper batsman singlehandedly took the game to the opposition, batting through to the 18th over with her opening partner Aimee Watkins the next best batsman with just 17. Priest’s brilliant innings included 11 boundaries and two sixes.
South Island spinner Emma Campbell was tight and accurate, taking three for 18 with new ball bowler Kate Pulford picking up two for 32.
The South Island team lost early wickets and were quickly reduced to 50 for five before Pulford and Erin Bermingham combined to get the run chase back on track with a 53 run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Pulford was the aggressor, lashing 47 from 31 balls but it was too little too late as the North Island bowlers closed out the match with three balls to spare.
The North Island bowlers hunted in a pack with Rachel Candy, Kate Broadmore and Sian Ruck snaring wickets two each.
* Image of the winning North Island team.
