On January 30, Wellington Blaze and Northern Brave will be facing off in the 30th match at Basin Reserve in Wellington at 5:10 AM IST as the Women’s Super Smash 2024-25 season reaches to a close. Wellington Blaze eyes a ticket to the Final, while Northern Brave needs to win to guarantee their spot in the Eliminator. Based on Net Run Rate (NRR), the Blaze have a good opportunity because, with 24 points thus far, a win would tie them with Otago Sparks, who are at the top of the table with 28 points.

With victories in two of their past three games and three of their four home games this season, Wellington Blaze have been playing well. They have an advantage going into this match because of their domination at the Basin Reserve. However, the Northern Brave have demonstrated tenacity by recovering with impressive batting displays in recent games. But in their last meeting this season, Brave lost to Blaze by a mere four runs while chasing a 151-run target.
Squads:
Wellington Blaze:
Leigh Kasperek, Hannah Darlington, Sophie Devine, Maitlan Brown, Melie Kerr, Jessica McFadyen, Rebecca Burns, Caitlin King, Jess Kerr, Xara Jetly, Georgia Plimmer, Natasha Codyre, Antonia Hamilton, Gemma Sims, Kate Chandler, Nicole Baird, Rachel Bryant, Sam Mackinder, Hannah Francis, Phoenix Williams
Northern Brave:
Amanda Wellington, Chamari Atapattu, Sarah Glenn, Jess Watkin, Jesse Prasad, Marina Lamplough, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Nensi Patel, Shriya Naidu, Holly Topp, Kayley Knight, Caitlin Gurrey, Sam Barriball, Eve Wolland, Carol Agafili, Marama Downes, Tash Wakelin, Yazmeen Kareem
Players to watch out:
Melie Kerr
The 24-year-old all-rounder is renowned for her dependable middle-order batting and superb leg-spin. Her ability to hit game-winning knocks gives depth to the batting lineup, and her 329 runs for Wellington Blaze this season make her a formidable batter in any situation. In nine games, she has also taken nine wickets.
Jess Kerr
The 27-year-old is a vital all-round player and has taken 15 wickets in the competition so far, demonstrating her ability to take wickets when needed, and has also maintained a strong economy rate of 6.38 in T20Is. She is a great asset because she can swing the ball early and create breakthroughs. With 303 runs with bat this season in the Super Smash, she can also provide vital lower order runs, stabilising the innings when necessary.
Chamari Athapaththu
The 34-year-old all-rounder’s multiple T20 hundreds demonstrate how her aggressive batting can alter the outcome of a match on her alone. In her T20I career, she has amassed 3371 runs. She is also an impact player with the ball, having taken 61 wickets in T20 internationals offering a vital bowling option with her off-spin.
Sarah Glenn
The 25-year-old is part of the Northern Brave and is an essential component for the Brave’s balance with her crafty leg-spinner and more than handy batting ability. She is one of the team’s most reliable all-rounders due to her ability to capture wickets in the middle overs and her strike rate of over 120 in T20 international cricket.
Pitch:
Both spinners and hitters benefit from the balanced conditions on offer at Wellington’s Basin Reserve. In the last four Women’s Super Smash T20 matches played here, the average first-inning score has been 132 runs. Early breakthroughs could be vital in deciding the result because the overhead conditions are likely to favour the bowlers.
Weather:
Wellington’s maximum temperature is predicted to be 19°C and gloomy. The match itself is not anticipated to be interrupted, despite the fact that rain is forecast for the next day. The powerplay is an important phase for both teams since the cloudy circumstances may help swing bowlers.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Melie Kerr, Chamari Athapaththu, Jess Watkin, Leigh Kasperek, Sarah Glenn, Caitlin Gurrey, Jess Kerr, Amanda Wellington, Hannah Darlington, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Nensi Patel
Match details:
Date: January 30, 2025
Time: 5:10 AM IST
Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast: In India, the game will be live streamed on FanCode.

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