Whanganui's Jess Watkin had a good night for the Hinds with both bat and ball against the Canterbury Magicians in Monday's Dream 11 Super Smash double header at McLean Park. Photo / Photosport
Whanganui's Jess Watkin had a good night for the Hinds with both bat and ball against the Canterbury Magicians in Monday's Dream 11 Super Smash double header at McLean Park. Photo / Photosport
It was a day for the ladies in the pre-Christmas Dream 11 Super Smash double header at McLean Park in Napier where Central Districts played host.
The Central Hinds produced an excellent all-round display to cruise past the Canterbury Magicians by seven wickets, while the Central Stags were wounded afterthe Canterbury Kings won a duel of the spinner's match by 30 runs.
Having won the toss and electing to bat, the Magicians pairing of Kirsty Nation and Frankie Mackay got off to a solid start, taking 31 off the first four overs.
When Nation (17 off 14) was caught off the bowling of Whanganui's Jess Watkin, the Hinds had the opportunity to put the squeeze on and It was an opportunity that the hosts took with both hands.
The runs dried up for the Magicians through the middle overs with boundaries few and far between on a slow track. Watkin, Claudia Green and Mikaela Greig were particularly miserly, giving up just 51 runs from their 12 overs combined. Greig was the stand-out on the day, finishing with 2-11 from her four overs of off-spin.
Captain Mackay and Allie Mace-Cochrane lifted the rate in the last four overs, but the total of 115-3 looked a bit light against a Hinds team with plenty of hitting power.
And so it proved. The Hinds batters all chipped in to ensure the target was hauled in with ease. Emily Cunningham and Watkin put on 45 for the first wicket and had the run-rate humming along at 10 an over.
Fresh off a hat-trick in her last outing, Gabby Sullivan (2-13) was impressive again for the Magicians. She dismissed both the openers in quick succession to give her side a boost.
Watkin's 29 off 16 at the top of the innings had taken away any scoreboard pressure though and the Hinds needed little more than four an over to win after her departure.
The win is the Hinds' second from five matches and has them in fourth spot on the ladder.
The Magicians remain winless after four matches and will be looking for a change in fortunes after Christmas.
Meanwhile, an outstanding spell of left-arm wrist spin by Blake Coburn earned the Canterbury Kings their first win of the Dream11 Super Smash season, by 30 runs over the Central Stags.
On a night for the spinners, medium fast Stags bowler Blair Tickner could only take 2-37 against a determined Canterbury Kings in Monday's Dream 11 Super Smash double header at McLean Park. Photo / Photosport
On a night where the slower bowlers thrived, Coburn shone the brightest, finishing with figures of 4-17 off his four overs. Operating through the middle stages of the Stags' chase, Coburn dismissed four of the Stags' dangerous top five batters to lead the Kings to a comfortable defence of 164-8.
The Stags tail fell away chasing a miracle and the defending champions limped through to 134-9.
Opting to bat first at McLean Park, the Kings began steadily, getting to 50 for the loss of one at a good clip.
Ajaz Patel entered the attack in the sixth over and made an immediate impact on a track well suited to his craft. He dismissed Stephen Murdoch and the free-flowing Chad Bowes (28 off 17) with successive deliveries and reduced the Kings to 50-3 after the batting power play.
Kings skipper Cole McConchie was joined by Cam Fletcher and the pair put on 38 in good time to have the Kings well placed at the midpoint of their innings.
The top wicket-taker so far this season, Ajaz Patel (3-23) bowled Fletcher to make the score 88-4. At the other end, Kieran Noema-Barnett also produced another excellent spell, taking two quick wickets which left the Kings six down entering their final four overs. His third wicket, a catch to Patel off the final ball of the innings gave him figures of 3-19.
Handy cameos from Henry Shipley (23 off 11) and Andrew Ellis (35 not out off 29) boosted the Kings to 164-8 at the break.
The Stags started well in reply with Dane Cleaver (22) and then George Worker (21) finding some fluency.
When Coburn dismissed Worker via a superb catch to Will Williams at point, the Kings had a chance to apply scoreboard pressure with the required run-rate in excess of nine.
Coburn then removed Christian Leopard (20) and Whanganui Collegiate old boy and captain Tom Bruce (6) in the 10th over to have the Stags 70-4 and on the back foot.
Timing continued to be hard to find and the Stags soon needed 12 an over. Noema-Barnett (6) fell trying to clear the fence and Coburn's outstanding spell was complete.
When Josh Clarkson was bowled by Ellis for 8, the score was 84-6 and the Stags were out of the hunt.
With the win the Kings moved off the bottom of the ladder and into fourth. The Stags remain on top of the table, having tasted defeat for the first time this season.
