Otago looks to be in a race with Central to make the playoffs, and a win for the Sparks today will go a long way to the side making the top three.
Wellington sits on top of the table, unbeaten, and seems to have the talent in both batting and bowling to go all the way to complete a hat trick of titles.
Auckland is in second, two wins ahead of Central and Otago. These sides sit in third on 12 points, having won three games and lost four.
Central may soon be half a point ahead of Otago, as the Sparks have been docked a half-point for a slow over rate in the match against Northern Spirit in Alexandra on Sunday. Otago has appealed that decision and that is still being processed, so the half point has not yet been officially taken off the Sparks on the points table.
It is a familiar story for the Sparks as it leans on Suzie Bates and Katey Martin to get the runs.
Bates was dominant in the side’s two wins in Alexandra, scoring 49 against Northern and then an unbeaten 82 in the big win over Canterbury.
She is quite clearly the leading run-maker in the competition, with 399 runs, and plays shots all around the wicket, which is a struggle for a lot of batsmen at this level.
Bates though looks to have some top-class company in the Otago side, with a couple of talented Australians making their presence felt in Alexandra.
All-rounder Amanda-Jade Wellington was brutal with the bat in Alexandra, and along with Hannah Darlington looks to have brought plenty of quality to the Sparks side.
The Hinds have been delivering mixed performances, but are coming off a confidence-boosting win over Auckland in their last game.
The side had a predictable five-wicket loss to the Wellington Blaze at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth, but recovered well to beat the previously unbeaten Hearts.
Co-captain Jess Watkin was the key to the win, scoring a half century inside 30 balls and then picking up a couple of key wickets.
Watkin is obviously a player for the Sparks to watch, but little things win these matches when there is little between the sides — taking catches, not bowling wides, saving boundaries and applying pressure consistently.
Fielding makes a big difference in the women’s game.
The two sides will meet again in Dunedin on January 11, while the Hinds will take on the Hearts on Saturday in Auckland.
The Sparks’ remaining fixture is against the bottom-of-the-table Canterbury Magicians in Christchurch on January 14.
Otago Sparks v Hinds
Napier, today, 3.40pm
Otago Sparks: Suzie Bates, Millie Cowan, Katey Martin (captain), Hayley Jensen, Hannah Darlington, Amanda- Jade Wellington, Bella James, Caitlin Blakely, Sophie Gray, Eden Carson, Emma Black, Sophie Oldershaw, Marina Lamplough.
Central Hinds: Jess Watkin(co-captain), Hannah Rowe (co-captain), Georgia Atkinson, Kate Baxter, Emily Cunningham, Natalie Dodd, Claudia Green, Mikaela Greig, Rosemary Mair, Anlo Van Deventer, Ashtuti Kumar
Points table: Wellington 28, Auckland
20, Central 12, Otago 12 (11.5), Northern 8, Canterbury 0
