North Island sealed the One Day series by clinching the first couple of games in the series. The North Island skipper Jess Watkin won the toss and opted to field first in the 3rd One Day game. The 3rd game of the series was eventually reduced to a 36-overs-per-side contest due to a delayed start at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln.
South lost their opening batter Olivia Gain in the 2nd over of the innings. Hannah Rowe provided the first breakthrough for North. Anna Browning joined Caitlin Blakely at the crease and the duo led the recovery with a crucial 76-run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Ocean Bartlett broke the stand, by removing Anna Browning (45 off 53 balls) in the 17th over of the innings. She fell just five runs short of her half-century.
Wicket-keeper batter Polly Inglis soon followed her back to the pavilion to provide the 3rd breakthrough for North Islands. Poppy Jay Watkins joined Caitlin Blakely at the crease, and the duo took them closer to the 150-run mark, which was another vital 49-run partnership for the 4th wicket. Caitlin Blakely completed her half-century (50 off 67 balls) before Jess Watkin picked up her wicket in the 26th over of the innings.
South Islands eventually suffered a collapse as they lost their last six wickets for just 56 runs and as a result, were bundled out for just 193, in 33.4 overs. Poppy Jay Watkins (30 off 30 balls), and skipper Hayley Jensen (27 off 18 balls) chipped in with crucial contributions with the bat for their side, taking them closer to the 200-run mark. Skipper Jess Watkin (5-0-37-3), Hannah Rowe (6-0-25-2), Jess Kerr (6.4-0-29-2), and Ocean Bartlett (5-0-32-2) were the star performers with the ball for North Islands.
Chasing a target of 194, the North Islands fell agonizingly short of the target by 3 runs as they were bundled out for 190 in their quota of 36 overs. Everyone from the top order got starts but failed to convert it into a match-winning innings for their side.
Saachi Shahri (41 off 33 balls), Emma McLeod (30 off 52 balls), Jess Kerr (25 off 14 balls), skipper Jess Watkin (27 off 32 balls), and Hannah Rowe (41 off 46 balls) all of them kept North Islands alive in the run chase but failed to get their side over the line.
Eden Carson (8-0-39-3), Anna Browning (6-0-24-2), and Emma Black (3-0-12-2) were the star performers with the ball for South Islands. The bowling unit played a crucial role as the Hayley Jensen-led side sealed their first victory of the three-match One Day series.
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