The Canterbury Magicians have one win from two games, while Otago Sparks have also lost a game but won two of their three. The two teams will go up against each other in match no. 9 of the 2024-25 Women’s T20 Super Smash on the 7th of January at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, at 10:50 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
Canterbury Magicians
Kate Anderson, Sarah Asmussen, Missy Banks, Nat Cox, Jodie Dean, Kate Ebrahim, Abigale Gerken, Laura Hughes (C), Shikha Pandey, Maddie Penna, Izzy Sharp, Gabby Sullivan
Otago Sparks
Suzie Bates, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Eden Carson, Olivia Gain, Kirstie Gordon, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Hayley Jensen (C), Molly Loe, Felicity Robertson
Players to watch out:
Izzy Sharp
The 20-year-old keeper-batter, from 9 Smash outings last summer, accumulated 99 runs at a strike rate of 107.60 and registered the highest score of 45. Izzy had a quiet start to this domestic season but found her feet, registering consecutive scores of 39, 41, and 22 late in the first-leg One Day fixtures. She has failed to build on this return to form but can be trusted to find her way back among the runs yet again.
Sarah Asmussen
The 24-year-old leg-spinner, in the 2023-24 Super Smash, picked up 9 wickets from as many outings at an economy rate of 6.11 and produced the best of 3/16. Sarah had notable form leading up to this Smash season, picking up 7 wickets from 6 One Dayers, and in the Smash returned figures of 1/13 (2) and 0/15 (2). The talented spinner can be counted on for breakthroughs.
Felicity Robertson
The 30-year-old all-rounder had a quiet Smash stint last season, managing only 127 runs from 9 innings. However, Felicity had a promising start to this domestic season, registering scores of 23, 43, and 56*, while also taking 4 wickets. In the Smash games, she has taken two wickets and managed two good starts. She should be backed to capitalize on this form and deliver the goods.
Hayley Jensen
The 32-year-old pacer had a quiet season in the previous Smash edition, managing only 3 wickets and 58 runs from 9 games. Hayley has staged a turnaround this season, bagging 8 wickets from 6 One Dayers, and, extending this form, has taken a wicket in each of her 3 Smash outings so far. The seasoned campaigner can be relied upon to produce the wickets, while also chipping in with handy runs.
Pitch:
Hagley Oval is a low-scoring venue that aids the bowlers, particularly the pacers. The wicket has a neutral character, but the average score at this venue remains in the 130s, making it a challenging wicket for batters.
Weather:
The partly cloudy Christchurch sky promises a complete game, as the chances of rain are minimal. The temperature is forecast to be around 16°C, with moderate winds and humidity at 70%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Polly Inglis, Izzy Sharp, Suzie Bates, Hayley Jensen, Emma Black, Kate Ebrahim, Felicity Robertson, Eden Carson, Kirstie Gordon, Missy Banks, Shikha Pandey
Match details:
Date – January 7, 2024
Time – 10:50 AM IST
Venue – Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Broadcast – The game will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website.
