The race for berths in Friday's Super Smash Elimination Finals in Christchurch is going right down to the wire, with the second and third qualifiers to be sorted out tomorrow - Anniversary Day Monday 2026, in Auckland.
Both the men's and women's direct entrants to Saturday's Grand Finals have already been locked in, with reigning women's champion Wellington Blaze gearing up for their ninth Grand Final in a row, and Northern Brave's men securing direct entry after their own outstanding campaign this summer.
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Blaze was the first team to book their tickets to the big event at Hagley Oval - and they are formidable opponents for any team, having won all but two of the titles they have contested over the last nine years.
They will start as the favourites again this Saturday, after having won an unrivalled seven of their 10 rounds this season.
Joining them will be a team that wasn't in last year's Grand Final, for the Sparks have now bowed out.
Marina Lamplough | PHOTOSPORT
It's down to either Northern Brave women (who meanwhile today become the first team to confirm a place in the Elimination Final, with Nensi Patel reaching her maiden fifty); the Central Hinds - who rebounded from a sluggish start in the competition to win five matches on the trot; or the Auckland Hearts - with the Hearts hosting the Hinds in the last round tomorrow, and needing a win as well as a bonus point in order to qualify.
In the men's division, it's been a hectic 48 hours for defending champs the Central Stags who have bolted from last, into the top three, and then back to fourth in that time.
Jayden Lennox congatulates fellow skipper Tom Bruce | PHOTOSPORT
Tom Bruce's men defeated the Volts in Napier on Saturday to celebrate his 100th T20 cap, and now the team faces another must-win tomorrow in Auckland against the Aces, after the Kings picked up two points from a washout today in Christchurch to nudge ahead of them again.
Just be assured that it's squeaky-seat time for all of the Stags, Aces and Kings who are hoping to be one of the two Elimination Finalists, with everything resting on tomorrow afternoon's game on Eden Park's outer turf.
The Aces once again have vastly experienced T20 practitioner and powerful left-hander Colin Munro in their squad.
If it just so happens to turn out to be Munro's last appearance in the blue of Auckland, it would be against the same team he debuted against in 2010, back when the competition was called the HRV Cup.
Masterful Munro is back on home turf | PHOTOSPORT
The Stags have their BLACKCAPS Will Young, Jayden Lennox and Josh Clarkson, so the stage is set for an explosive battle from 4.25pm.
Maddy Green's Hearts and the well performed Hinds are up first from 12.40pm, with all matches live and free to air on TVNZ+ and Duke on NZ screens, and livescores at nzc.nz or on the NZC app.
Lauren Down | PHOTOSPORT
The Finals on Friday and Saturday at Hagley will also be broadcast on the airwaves with Sport Nation's commentary.
The Blaze and Northern Brave men will be waiting with keen interest to see who joins them for the big occasion.
After an innovative and ballistic campaign, masterminded by head coach BJ Watling, Northern has proven itself to be a strong all-round unit, with five wins and one tied game from their 10 rounds, but only one loss (weather accounting for the balance).
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Northern last appeared in a Super Smash Grand Final in 2023, when they beat the Canterbury Kings by seven wickets at the same venue as this year's Finals: Hagley Oval.
The Kings have somewhat infamously appeared in each of the last five men's Grand Finals, but have not lifted the national title since its very first year, 20 years ago.
Matt Boyle | PHOTOSPORT
It's an anomaly given how successful Canterbury has been over that time in the two other men's formats, and one that the red and black men will be doubly keen to correct on their own turf - if the Aces can do them a favour and beat the Stags tomorrow.
Perhaps even a tie would be enough, but like we said, no matter what - it's going right to the wire this season.
Buckle your seats.
