Match no. 24 of the ongoing 12th edition of the Twenty20 (T20) Women’s Super Smash will feature a contest between Wellington Blaze and Northern Brave at the Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington, at 5:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the 15th of January, 2024.
Squads:
Wellington Blaze – Amelia Kerr (C), Leigh Kasperek (VC), Nicole Baird, Rebecca Burns, Kate Chandler, Natasha Codyre, Jess Kerr, Jess Mcfadyen, Georgia Plimmer, Monique Rees, Gemma Sims, Xara Jetly
Northern Brave – Eimear Richardson (C), Chamari Athapaththu, Caitlin Gurrey, Jess Watkin, Sam Barriball, Marina Lamplough, Nensi Patel, Carol Agafili, Marama Downes, Holly Topp (WK), Shriya Naidu, Lucy Boucher
Players to watch out:
Amelia Kerr
The 23-year-old all-rounder has been outstanding for the team, amassing 281 runs and 16 wickets from just 7 outings. Amelia has only gotten better as the tournament has progressed, registering scores of 60*, 77*, and 26, while also producing bowling figures of 1/16, 5/10, and 5/13 in her previous 3 outings. She’ll be relied upon for the goods.
Leigh Kasperek
The 31-year-old off-spinner, with 48 T20 International (T20I) appearances, has bagged 77 wickets, with the best of 4/7, maintaining an economy rate of 6.32. Leigh in this tournament has taken 10 wickets from 7 outings, and in her previous 3 outings, has returned figures of 3/25. It’ll be expected of her to continue forward with this momentum.
Chamari Athapaththu
The 33-year-old all-rounder in T20Is, in 120 innings, has racked up 2651 runs, including the highest of 113, and bagged 40 wickets from 65 innings. Chamari has had a decent maiden Smash appearance, accumulating 113 runs and scalping 6 wickets from 4 outings. The team will rely on their seasoned campaigner to make the most of this form.
Nensi Patel
The 21-year-old pacer has scalped just a couple of wickets from 6 outings in the ongoing Smash season, and she has put up several notable performances over the past few months across different series. In the Smash, she has managed starts consistently, and it’ll be hoped she continues her batting form while also staging a comeback with the ball.
Pitch:
The 22 yards at the venue make a well-balanced center wicket, providing a fair contest between bat and ball. The wicket assists both spinners and pacers effectively, while batters too enjoy their time in the middle with an average score in the 120s.
Weather:
With cloudy overhead, the chances of rain are very slim during match hour, meaning we should have a complete game on our hands. The temperature is forecasted to hover around 17°C with strong winds and humidity at 87%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Jess Mcfadyen, Georgia Plimmer, Rebecca Burns, Marina Lamplough, Chamari Athapaththu, Amelia Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Watkin, Jess Kerr, Xara Jetly, Nicole Baird
Match details:
Date – January 15, 2024
Time – 5:00 AM IST
Venue – Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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