Round One, 24 November 2017
Canterbury Magicians v Northern Spirit at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Scorecard
A refreshed Northern Spirit side upended the star-studded Magicians at the Cantabrian fortress of Hagley Oval to open their 2017/18 T20 season with a bang.
Restricting the Mags to exactly 100 in their 20 overs, it was game on for the chasing Spirit who ultimately completed their task with 10 balls to spare for a crunch six-wicket win over last season’s finalists.
Amy Satterthwaite played a lone hand. PHOTOSPORT
The Mags hadn’t got off to their customary strong start, with Satterthwaite coming in early at first drop to anchor the innings with a classy 43 at better than run a ball.
However, stellar Satterthwaite had precious little support as all her experienced teammates came and went for single figures until she herself capitulated in the final over, while former Auckland Heart and now the Spirit’s Samoa international Regina Lili’i swept in for a brace of middle order wickets (Erin Bermingham and Thamysn Newton) and a run-out, while young Nensi Patel impressed with the wicket of Lea Tahuhu and a hand in two run-outs as well.
Teen whizzkid Nensi Patel made a big impact on the field. PHOTOSPORT
It was a total team effort with the ball and in the field, and stirred the northern batsmen to an aggressive chase, even despite the unsettling early loss of both captain Nat Dodd and WHITE FERN Sam Curtis.
Opener Katie Gurrey held it together with her 25 before Lili’i and Felicity Leydon-Davis combined for an unbroken 52-run stand for the fifth wicket to bring it home.
The two teams now meet in Rounds One and Two of the Halleyburton Johnstone Shield (One-Day) at the same venue over the weekend; entry to all women’s domestic cricket is free.
