At a glance

At Seddon Park, Hamilton: Otago Sparks 154-5 (Suzie Bates 76 off 59) beat Northern Brave 93-8 (Emma Black 2-15, Molly Loe 2-21) by 61 runs.

removed Task Wakelin another catch for Martin.

Their chase ended with their lower order collapsing, swinging for the rope. Black finished with 2-15 as the wickets tumbled, with the hosts finishing on 92-8 from their 20 overs.

The Brave won the toss and bowled first under gloomy skies, but the sun came out as Bates and opening partner Polly Inglis (18) lifted the Sparks to 47-1 in the powerplay.

Bates anchored Otago’s innings while her batting partners were dismissed regularly, with their highest partnership for the fourth wicket worth 49, with Caitlin Blakely (16).

White Fern Katey Martin was bizarrely run out at the nonstriker’s end on a dot ball for 7 by Templeton, who bowled Ebrahim around her legs for 9.

The large boundaries led to plenty of twos as the Blaze were guilty of sloppy fielding.

Otago reached 154-5 after hitting 10 from their last over to set the Blaze a challenging total they couldn’t get close to.

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