Otago narrowly avoided an embarrassing record but could not avoid a crushing defeat in its latest national women's league game in Wellington yesterday.
The Sparks were dismissed for just 52 in reply to Wellington's hardly intimidating 120 at Karori Park.
It was Otago's lowest total in women's cricket and the fourth-lowest in the history of the New Zealand game.
But it could have been worse - at one stage, the Sparks flirted seriously with the all-time low of 43, scored by Central Districts in 1999-2000.
Otago lurched to 20 for six in pursuit of its target, and with leading batsmen Sarah Tsukigawa, Suzie Bates and Megan Kane back in the pavilion, the outlook was grim.
Bates, Tsukigawa and Abigail Kitchin all scored laborious ones: Bates' off 26 balls, Tsukigawa's off 15 and Kitchin's off 19.
Otago's run rate - walk rate, really - plummeted to 0.95 an over as the defensive screen went up.
Otago player-coach Clare Taylor dug in and was joined by Emma Campbell, and while the pair could not score a run to save themselves, they did at least protect their wickets.
Campbell plugged away for three off 30 balls and then Tanya Morrison scored a positively brisk seven off 24 balls.
Taylor's long vigil ended on her 71st ball, as she went for 13, top scoring with extras.
Wellington's bowling figures were all, obviously, neat.
Anna Dodd had three for 12 off 10 overs, Sophie Devine two for six off seven, Lucy Doolan two for nine off four, and Sian Ruck two for 12 off 10.
The Sparks bowlers had done their job earlier in the day, hauling Wellington back from a promising start with some accurate spin and medium pace.
Right-arm off-spinner Morrison, enjoying a fine run of form, was again a star performer.
She bowled with patience and guile and ripped out the middle and lower orders to finish with the career-best figures of four for 16 off 10 overs.
Tsukigawa chipped in with two for 34 as only Megan Wakefield (25 off 41 balls) and Doolan (22 off 39) got starts for the Blaze.
Otago's next State League games are against Northern in Invercargill on January 3-4.
