In the 29th match of the 2026 edition of the Women’s Super Smash, Northern Brave will take on Canterbury Magicians at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The Brave have had an above average campaign so far with two wins from 5 matches including a match being abandoned. They won their last game against Auckland Hearts by just 1-wicket while chasing a target of 104. For the upcoming fixture, here are the top 3 players to look out for against Canterbury Magicians:
Marama Downes
Marama Downes, the New Zealand bowler, has been quite consistent for Northern Brave in this campaign. She has performed quite well in the domestic circuit, and she has been quite the player in the Super Smash. In 8 matches so far, she has scalped 13 wickets at a decent economy rate, and she also scored a crucial boundary in their previous encounter, that helped her side to scrape past the target and win the match by just one wicket. Marama Downes has been one of their best bowlers and she will be confident to carry the momentum through to the latter phases of the tournament.
Kayley Knight
Kayley Knight, the young New Zealand all-rounder, has been a good performer for her side in this campaign. She represented her national side in the U19s but is yet to make an appearance for the national side. She has picked up 8 wickets and scored 83 runs for Northern Brave in her 7 appearances this season. She is a key performer for her side as she has the ability to bowl economically and pick wickets at crucial stages. She is also more than capable with the bat to provide some crucial runs towards the end of the innings.
Jess Watkin
Jess Watkin, the New Zealand international and Northern Brave’s skipper has been their best player in the tournament. In her T20I career, she has scored 118 runs and picked up 7 wickets from 9 matches. She has scored 123 runs and picked up 7 wickets from her 7 outings this Super Smash. She scored a fabulous half-century against Otago Sparks. She has been absolutely at the top of her game and with some more support from her players, her side could seal a spot at the top of the table.
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