An impressive batting performance has set up a big win for the Canterbury Women’s U21 team, beating the Otago Women’s U21 team convincingly.
Chasing a score of 166, Otago were always going to be facing an uphill battle and it proved to be too much, eventually losing by 67 runs.
After winning the toss Otago fancied first dig with the ball and got off to the perfect start by dismissing Hayley Aburn for a duck.
That was where the celebrations stopped for Otago as Emma Hartland and Hayley Jensen crushed the Southerner’s bowling attack and put on 108 for the second wicket. Jensen made a scintillating 70 from just 40 deliveries.
Hartland, for the second day in a row, played right through the innings for the home team and made a sensible 51 from 55 balls.
The rest of the batting line-up didn’t do much, but in the end it all added up to a challenging total of 166 for five.
Ashleigh White was the stand out performance in the Otago bowling line up, as she collected four for 28 from her four overs.
Otago looked a chance at the start of their innings when they were at without loss. Captain Kylie Crowley was looking good on 16, but a piece of poor decision making between the wickets cost her side greatly, her run out the start of a collapse. Caitlin Blakely continued her solid form as she made 26 from 26 deliveries, but when she too was out, the wheels fell off for Otago.
One or two batsmen made starts, but none could carry on to a big score, which left Otago well off the pace as they finished all out for 99.
Hana Mauafu continued to be a prominent member of the Canterbury bowling attack after she finished with figures of four for 26 from four overs.
