The Otago Sparks bagged their second win in a row with a comprehensive 21-run victory over the Central Hinds at the University Oval yesterday.
The Sparks had started the season with 10 straight losses but took two of the three games they played against the Hinds in the new year.
The side won the one-day game by one run on Monday but it was more convincing yesterday as the visiting side failed to chase down the Sparks' competitive target of 134 for seven in a twenty/20 encounter.
The Sparks set up the win with a century-plus opening partnership between Katey Martin and Suzie Bates.
Martin and Bates pushed the ball all round the field and kept the score ticking over, not being separated until the end of the 15th over.
Martin was first to go when the score was on 106 and she had compiled 43.
Bates went next, after a classy 62, but the Otago batting rather fell away in the final 3 overs with five wickets falling for the addition of only 16 runs.
Central Districts spinner Kate Baxter picked up four wickets while the other three dismissals were run-outs. Central did itself no favours by racking up 10 wides.
In reply, the key was to get opener Rachel Priest out after she had piled up a century two days earlier at the same ground.
The match thus swung Otago's way when Priest was dismissed by spinner Tanya Morrison who clean bowled her.
CD was behind the eight-ball by then and only threatened when Sara McGlashan and Kate Broadmore came together for a 56-run partnership.
But McGlashan was run out by Rebecca Henderson for 31 and then Broadmore also failed to find her ground as Central Districts racked up four run-outs in its innings.
Needing 24 off the final over, CD only managed to pick up three runs while Bates picked up two wickets.
The teams now have one round of cricket left with Otago travelling to Christchurch to play Canterbury in three games next weekend.
