Cricket: Chase easy after Sparks fizzle out

Auckland has opened its campaign with an eight-wicket win against Otago in a rain-affected match at Melville Park yesterday.

Chasing a revised target of 73 from 15 overs, Victoria Lund blasted an undefeated 32 from 35 deliveries and Sara McGlashan hit 25 from 22 to help Auckland reach 76 for two in the 13th over.

Otago spinner Morna Nielsen made the modest target seem a little further off thanks to a superb opening spell. She took one for one off three overs. But the Sparks just did not have enough runs on the board to mount any pressure.

Having been inserted, the visitors limped to 96 for seven, with Suzie Bates responsible for almost half the runs.

The New Zealand captain whacked 46 from 41 deliveries.

She made a cracking start, too, hitting the first ball out of the park. It caused a three-minute delay while the umpires found a replacement.

It proved a false dawn, though. Fellow opener Nielsen could not get going and was out for three. Right arm seamer Regina Lili'i made the breakthrough and struck again moments later, bowling Leigh Kasperek for six.

When the experienced Katey Martin was out in the next over, the Sparks had slumped to 43 for three.

Bates, meanwhile, was progressing nicely but quickly running out of partners.

Southern hockey representative Millie Cowan could do little to arrest the slide. She made two from five balls.

Polly Inglis' effort of 10 from 16 was, under the circumstances, a useful contribution.

But when Bates was caught, any hope the Sparks had of posting a competitive score had slipped away.

Lili'i finished with three for 26, while Sam Curtis, who grabbed the key wicket of Bates, claimed three for 17.

It was a career-best for both bowlers.

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