As the sun shines bright in Wellington at the Basin Reserve on January 9, 2026, the Women’s Super Smash 2025/26 erupts into Match 14, a high-stakes showdown between table-topping contenders Wellington Blaze and resurgent Otago Sparks.
Led by the unflappable skipper Jess Kerr, the Blaze sit pretty in 2nd place with 14 points from 5 games, boasting 3 victories and a couple of defeats that only fuel their championship hunger. Facing them are Polly Inglis’s Otago Sparks, entrenched in 4th with 10 points from 4 games, marked by a couple of victories and defeats, poised to spark an upset and claw up the ladder.
Squads:
Wellington Blaze Women’s Cricket Team
Nicole Baird, Maitlan Brown, Rebecca Burns, Hannah Francis, Jess Mcfadyen (wk), Xara Jetly, Sam Mackinder, Jess Kerr (C), Ellyse Perry, Isla McKenzie, Jess Simmons, Georgia Plimmer, Rachel Bryant
Otago Sparks Women’s Cricket Team
Polly Inglis, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Chloe Deernees, Eva Gray, Laura Harris, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Isy Parry, Felicity Robertson, PJ Watkins, Saffron Wilson
Players to watch out:
Georgia Plimmer
Wellington Blaze opener Georgia Plimmer has been a revelation in the Women’s Super Smash 2025/26, sitting as the team’s 2nd highest run-scorer with 138 runs across five innings at a blistering strike rate of 112.19 and an average of 27.60. Her lone half-century underscores her ability to anchor and accelerate, making her the perfect foil against Otago’s bowlers. Expect Plimmer to unleash early mayhem, setting the tone for Blaze’s innings either in a run chase or while setting a total.
Xara Jetly
At just 24, Wellington Blaze off-spinner Xara Jetly reigns as the Women’s Super Smash 2025/26 leading wicket-taker, claiming 8 scalps in five innings at an elite average of 12.12 and economy of 5.19. Her all-round edge sharpens with 54 runs at a strike rate of 108 across four batting innings, blending guile and grit. Against Otago Sparks, Jetly’s variations could strangle the middle order, turning the tide for the Blaze.
Emma Black
The 24-year-old Otago Sparks pacer storms the Women’s Super Smash 2025/26 charts as joint 2nd highest wicket-taker, tied with Lucy Boucher, Marama Downes, and Jess Kerr, with 7 wickets in four innings across 4 matches at an average of 11.85 and economy of 5.18. As her side’s leading wicket-taker, she backs it with 14 runs in a couple of batting innings. Her raw speed could rattle Wellington’s top order, igniting Otago’s spark.
Laura Harris
Otago Sparks’ Laura Harris has lit up the Women’s Super Smash 2025/26 with 76 runs in a couple of innings at a scorching strike rate of 230.30, crowned by a joint-fastest T20 half-century. Her power-hitting injects chaos into oppositions, turning steady chases into routs. Facing Wellington Blaze, Harris looms as the game-breaker who could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Pitch:
The average total at Basin Reserve is around 140-150, which suggests it is slightly tricky to bat on. The batters need to assess the conditions on offer and play accordingly. The spinners are having the upper hand at this venue.
Weather:
Expect a mostly cloudy dawn at Basin Reserve, Mount Cook, Wellington, with temperatures around 19°C, 10% precipitation risk, 72% humidity, and brisk 24 km/h winds. No major rain threats, but clouds may keep the pitch under wraps.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Rebecca Burns, Georgia Plimmer, Ellyse Perry, Laura Harris, Maitlan Brown, Polly Inglis, Xara Jetly, Emma Black, Jess Kerr, Louisa Kotkamp, Poppy Jay Watkins
Match Details:
Date – January 09, 2026 (Friday)
Time – 5:10 AM IST
Venue – Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast – The live streaming of the game will be available at the FanCode app and website.
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