Otago clinched a home venue for Thursday’s Super Smash elimination final with an impressive four-wicket win against Canterbury at the University Oval in Dunedin today.
Canterbury posted an imposing tally of 166 for four thanks to a monster partnership by Amy Satterthwaite and Kate Anderson.
But Otago openers Bella James and Olivia Gain got the chase off to a rapid start, while Polly Inglis' undefeated 47 and 52-run partnership with Linsey Smith (34) helped seal the win.
The Sparks also did well to claw back a few runs at the end of the Canterbury innings.
The visitors actually got off to a poor start.
Abigale Gerken was run out without scoring and Laura Hughes picked out the only fielder on the leg side and perished for nine.
The visitors quickly recovered from 13 for two as Satterthwaite and Anderson took the blow torch to the Sparks attack.
That first over at the end of the powerplay is important for setting the tone of the rest of the innings and it was Canterbury who got on the front foot.
Anderson pummelled a drive through the covers and Satterthwaite hoisted another over midwicket. The pair put on 50 from 34 balls to shift all the pressure to the fielding side.
The Sparks strung a couple of tight overs together but the 13th netted 14 runs and saw Canterbury bring up 100.
Satterthwaite shimmied up the wicket and hoofed another four through midwicket to bring up her 50 off 38 balls.
The shot brought up the 100-run partnership as well and it came off just 71 balls.
Satterthwaite blasted three consecutive boundaries to finish the 15th over in style. That did little to improve the mood of the home team.
The reality of a monster chase was starting to coagulate in the minds of the players.
Anderson brought up her fourth 50 of the campaign and third in a row. But she was run out for 59 in the final over trying to get back for two to keep Satterthwaite on strike.
Satterthwaite was bowled next ball for 85. She shuffled to leg, missed, and Emma Black knock all three stumps out of the ground.
The pair had put on a Canterbury third wicket record partnership of 152.
Otago needed a quick start and got it when James swung away three fours off the opening over.
Gain threaded the ball past point and flicked Jodie Dean off her pads for six early in the fourth over.
But James (23) sliced a drive to Anderson in the next over, and Gain (28) spooned a return catch to Missy Banks.
The Sparks had the rapid start they wanted, but the departure of Kate Ebrahim for six put a major dent in the Sparks’ batting line-up.
Caitlin Blakely (2) went cheaply as well.
Otago’s grip on victory had definitely loosened, but they had a secondary target.
The Sparks needed to get to 108 to avoid their net run rate slipping below Auckland's and sending them out of the playoffs.
They got past that mark in the 12th over and had a free roll after that.
Polly Inglis had got through to 30 and was set but Smith also did a lot of the heavy lifting as they chased down the target.
