What began as a promising afternoon of women’s T20 cricket in Dunedin eventually ended in damp disappointment as weather forced the 20th match of the Women’s Super Smash 2025-26 between Wellington Blaze and Otago Sparks to be declared a No Result.
Still, fans were treated to some bright, attacking cricket before the rain came down and halted Otago’s chase at 25/0 in 4 overs. The Blaze batted first after conditions looked perfect early on.
However, their top order had a shaky start. Georgia Plimmer (5 off 5) was the first to fall, caught by Caitlin Blakely off Emma Black, with the score at 9/1 in the second over. Things didn’t improve immediately when Rebecca Burns (4 off 10) was run out through sharp work involving Anna Browning and wicketkeeper Polly Inglis, leaving Wellington at 15/2 inside four overs.
From there, the innings slowly found stability. Hannah Francis and skipper Jess Kerr put together a crucial partnership that shifted momentum. Francis played the accumulator’s role with a composed 34 off 39 balls, striking five boundaries before being dismissed for 87/4 at the 13-over mark, caught by Felicity Leydon-Davis off Louisa Kotkamp.
At the other end, captain Jess Kerr exploded, attacking from ball one. Her counterattacking knock of 39 runs off just 24 deliveries, featuring five fours and a six, helped push Wellington past the 80-run mark before she fell to Emma Black at 11.6 overs, making the score 80/3.
Otago’s middle overs belonged to Anna Browning, who broke the innings open. The leg-spinner dismissed Xara Jetly (10) via stumping and later removed Jessica McFadyen (5), finishing with impressive figures of 3 overs, 2/17, keeping Blaze in check.
Late sparks came from Sam Mackinder (14* off 8, 2 fours) and Jessica Simmons (24 off 12), the latter smashing four boundaries at a strike rate of 200 to lift the total. Wellington Blaze finally ended on 143/7 in 20 overs, a competitive score on a slightly two-paced surface.
From the Sparks’ bowling lineup, Emma Black was the pick, with 4 overs 3/31, consistently striking. Kotkamp claimed 1/12, while Watkins, Gray, Deeress and Blakely kept things tight without wickets.
Chasing 144, Otago came out confidently. Bella James (17* off 12) and Felicity Leydon-Davis (8* off 12) started positively, stroking four boundaries between them and cruising to 25 without loss in 4 overs. Wellington Blaze bowlers, Jess Kerr (0/17), Jetly (0/2), and Simmons (0/6), couldn’t find an early breakthrough.
Just as Otago’s openers had settled and the chase promised a thrilling finish, heavy rain arrived and never relented. With play abandoned well short of the minimum overs, the contest officially ended as No Result, a frustrating outcome in an otherwise lively Women’s Super Smash clash.
Despite the washout, the match showcased rising stars and impactful spells, setting the stage for both teams to return stronger in their next Super Smash fixtures.
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