Auckland Women cruised to a convincing 9-wicket win over Otago Women in the sixth match of the New Zealand Cricket Women’s One Day Competition at University Oval, Dunedin. Chasing a modest 173 for victory, Auckland lost just one wicket and got home with 89 balls to spare, thanks to superb knocks from Prue Catton and Maddy Green.
Otago, put in to bat after losing the toss, struggled to build momentum and were eventually bowled out for 172 in 45 overs. Polly Inglis was the top scorer for Otago with a patient 35 from 56 deliveries, while Anna Browning contributed 26 off 42. Auckland’s Josie Penfold was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 28 in her 7 overs. Amie Hucker also played a vital role, picking up 2 wickets for 30 runs in a full quota of 10 overs.
The Auckland bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the Otago innings with tight lines and regular wickets. After some resistance from the middle order, Otago collapsed under disciplined bowling, with only brief partnerships developing. Polly Jay Watkins (24) provided a bit of lower-order resistance, but the side ultimately failed to reach a par score on a decent batting strip.
In response, Auckland Women lost just one wicket and put on a clinical batting display. Prue Catton anchored the innings superbly, remaining unbeaten on 87 from 100 balls. At the other end, Maddy Green played the perfect partner, scoring an assured 74 not out from 99 deliveries. The pair added an unbroken 162-run partnership for the second wicket, steering Auckland home smoothly.
The Otago bowlers struggled to make breakthroughs as the Hearts pair rotated strike effortlessly and capitalized on anything loose. Emma Black was the only wicket-taker for Otago, picking up 1 for 29 in her 10 overs, but she lacked support as Felicity Leydon-Davis and others proved ineffective against the well-set batters.
The match was decided in Auckland’s favor well before the scheduled close, with the team reaching 175 for 1 in just 35.1 overs. Their commanding victory, highlighted by excellent contributions in both bowling and batting departments, showcased their dominance in the competition.
After electing to field first, Auckland’s strategy paid off splendidly as they controlled the tempo from the outset to claim a comfortable triumph. This result will boost their confidence considerably as the season progresses, while Otago will be left to reassess after a disappointing batting display and a tough day in the field.
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