The Sparks had an easy seven-wicket win over the Hinds when the two sides met at the University of Otago Oval just under two weeks ago, and they will want to be just as efficient at Pukekura Park.
The Hinds have yet to win a game in the competition while Otago is sitting fifth, having bagged two wins from five games.
It sits on eight points, with Northern Spirit (on 12 points) the team above it. Wellington and Canterbury look like two of the three sides which will qualify for the finals, so Otago needs to get on a winning run. Nothing could start that better than a convincing victory over the bottom-placed Hinds.
Otago has not made any changes to its team. It took a knock last game out with a thumping by the Wellington side, but its batting was not too bad in that game.
It managed to get through to 128 in its 20 overs against a quality Wellington attack but then faced a world record Sophie Devine onslaught that no bowling team would have had an answer to.
Otago has had some success in its batting line-up, with Millie Cowan and Polly Inglis combining well at the top of the order and Hayley Jensen smacking the ball well for the side.
Central has copped some injuries over the past couple of weeks, but it is to be a case of double-trouble provided by the home team.
For the first time in 36 years, identical twins are in line to represent the Central Hinds together, after Anna Gaging was today named in the Hinds squad for the first time.
Gaging joins identical sister Kate in the Central Hinds side.
If both are named in the playing XI, the Nelson pair will become the first twins to play for the Hinds since Liz and Rose Signal in January 1985.
Anna’s call-up today comes just two games after Kate Gaging’s Hinds debut against the Sparks in Dunedin last week.
The 19-year-old twins come from Nelson. Anna is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and batsman, and Kate a right-hand batsman who can also keep wicket.
Central will be without White Ferns bowler Rosemary Mair (side strain), Mikaela Greig (shoulder) and Melissa Hansen (split webbing).
Kate Gaging produced an attractive run-a-ball 28 against the Canterbury Magicians at Hagley Oval in just her second appearance, but scorers may be hoping the duo do not end up batting together at the same time in New Plymouth — team-mates resorting to calling them “Anna-Kate” in the field.
Otago Sparks v Central Hinds
New Plymouth, today,12.30pm
Otago Sparks: Gemma Adams, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Eden Carson, Millie Cowan, Olivia Gain, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Hayley Jensen, Marina Lamplough, Katey Martin (captain), Sophie Oldershaw.
Central Hinds: Jess Watkin (co-captain), Hannah Rowe (co-captain), Natalie Dodd, Emily Cunningham, Kate Gaging, Anna Gaging, Kerry Tomlinson, Claudia Green, Monique Rees, Georgia Atkinson, Anlo van Deventer, Ashtuti Kumar
