The 14th match of the Women’s Super Smash will be played between Wellington Blaze and Central Hinds on January 7 at Basin Reserve in Wellington. The game will begin at 2.30 AM IST (10 AM LOCAL).
Both teams will play their fifth game of the tournament. They have had contrasting starts. While Wellington Blaze have won all four encounters, Central Hinds have lost their last four fixtures. These two teams played against each other on December 27, and Wellington Blaze beat Central Hinds by 46 runs.
Squads
Wellington Blaze: Jessica McFadyen (wk), Maddy Green, Rebecca Burns, Georgia Plimmer, Caitlin King, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr (c), Thamsyn Newton, Olivia Boivin, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Bethany Molony, Xara Jetly, Maneka Singh, Deanna Doughty, Natasha Codyre, Rose Fenton
Central Hinds: Natalie Dodd (wk), Kate Gaging, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson, Emily Cunningham, Gemma Sims, Cate Pedersen, Hannah Rowe, Jess Watkin (c), Mikaela Greig, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Claudia Green, Rosemary Mair, Melissa Hansen, Monique Rees, Ashtuti Kumar, Anna Gaging
Players to Watch
Sophie Devine:
The captain of White Ferns was the pick of the bowlers for Wellington Blaze in her last outing against Northern Brave. The right-arm seamer claimed 18/3 in three overs, including a double strike in the seventh over. She is also an attacking right-handed opening batter and can take any opposition to the cleaners.
Thamsyn Newton:
The right-handed opening batter of Wellington Blaze top-scored in the last game against Northern Brave. She mustered 41 off 44, including a couple of boundaries and a six. She fought hard and held the innings together, batting brilliantly till the 16th over.
Natalie Dodd:
The wicket-keeper and right-handed opening batter of Central Hinds starred with the bat in the last fixture against Auckland Hearts. She smashed 60 off 40, and her innings was laced with eight fours and one six. She put together 76 runs with her opening partner Georgia Atkinson to set the tone for the run chase.
Jess Watkin:
The captain of Central Hinds is a talented all-rounder who can make valuable contributions with bat and ball. In her last appearance against Auckland Hearts, she was one of the most successful bowlers, picking up 18/2 in three overs. Besides her bowling, she is a solid top-order batter.
Pitch
It will be the third game of the tournament at the venue. The teams batting first have won the two matches played here. The average first innings score is 143, and the average second innings score is 104. Though the wicket looks good for batting, a thick cloud cover may assist the fast bowlers.
Weather
The weather is expected to be windy and cloudy. There is a chance of rain in the morning. The maximum temperature attained during the day will be 18 degrees Celsius. There will be a 99 percent cloud cover and a 75 percent chance of rain. The wind will blow from the south.
Fantasy Playing XI
Natalie Dodd, Thamsyn Newton, Maddy Green, Rebecca Burns, Amelia Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Sophie Devine, Jess Watkin, Jess Kerr, Claudia Green, Georgia Atkinson
Match details
Date: January 7, 2023
Time: 2.30 AM IST (10 AM LOCAL)
Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
Live streaming: Fan Code
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.