The Otago Sparks fought hard with the ball before slipping to a six-wicket loss in a twenty/20 match against the Auckland Hearts yesterday.
Chasing 88 to win on home turf, Auckland eased to the target with 4.3 overs to spare.
The Sparks had made a good start to the innings when Suzie Bates claimed a wicket in the first over.
But Auckland got enough through contributions from Maddie Green (26), Katie Perkins (18 not out) and Sam Curtis (16) to get over the line.
Earlier, the Sparks had wasted a promising start to post a total, 87 for nine, that simply wasn't going to be enough.
Star openers Bates and Katey Martin reached 30 without loss after six overs, getting the team nicely on track.
But when Martin went, for 10 off 19 balls, one end was left exposed. Bates made 37 off 38, including two boundaries, but could not find a reliable partner.
Only Victoria Abbot, with a breezy 10 off nine balls, reached double figures as the Sparks' innings fizzled out.
Paula Gruber starred with the ball for Auckland, taking three for nine off four overs, while schoolgirl Georgia Guy claimed two for 18.
The sides meet again in a one-dayer today and a second twenty/20 match tomorrow.
• St Hilda's Collegiate has finished a meritorious fourth at the national schoolgirls tournament in Palmerston North.
St Hilda's had a record of three wins, two losses and two no-results.
The Dunedin school finished the tournament with a gallant performance against Christchurch Girls' High School, which won the title with an unbeaten record.
Christchurch Girls' batted first and posted 96 for two off its 20 overs. In reply, St Hilda's got to 91 for four, just six runs short of victory. Caitlin Blakely batted superbly to be unbeaten on 44.
