At Basin Reserve, Wellington Blaze will take on Northern Brave in the Women’s Super Smash 2024-25 Eliminator on February 1 at 05:10 AM IST.
The Northern Brave took third place with 22 points, just ahead of Auckland Hearts on net run rate, while Wellington Blaze ended second with 26 points. Table-toppers Otago Sparks will face the winner of this match in the final. Wellington Blaze has dominated with eight victories in their last ten meetings, while Northern Brave have only achieved two wins.
Squads:
Wellington Blaze:
Jessica McFadyen, Antonia Hamilton, Sam Mackinder, Gemma Sims, Georgia Plimmer, Rebecca Burns, Caitlin King, Kate Chandler, Melie Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Nicole Baird, Hannah Francis, Jess Kerr, Maitlan Brown, Hannah Darlington, Phoenix Williams, Rachel Bryant, Xara Jetly, Natasha Codyre
Northern Brave:
Holly Topp, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Caitlin Gurrey, Tash Wakelin, Yazmeen Kareem, Eve Wolland, Marina Lamplough, Sam Barriball, Jess Watkin, Nensi Patel, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Chamari Atapattu, Carol Agafili, Marama Downes, Jesse Prasad, Shriya Naidu, Kayley Knight, Sarah Glenn
Players to watch out for:
Melie Kerr
In women’s cricket, Melie Kerr is one of the most comprehensive all-round players. The 24-year-old right-hander is a reliable middle-order hitter who may speed up or stabilise the innings. Leg-spinner with a strong impact who has a talent for taking important wickets. In 85 T20I matches, she has taken 93 wickets and amassed 1296 runs.
Jess Kerr
Jess Kerr is a talented seam bowler with outstanding swing and control. She has taken 18 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals with an economy rate of 6.38. In close chases, this versatile lower-order hitter can contribute vital runs and gives the bowling attack leadership and expertise.
Chamari Athapaththu
Chamari Athapaththu is one of the most damaging all-rounders, who may alter the course of a match. Three hundred and twelve half-centuries are among her 3371 T20 International runs. She is also an off-spin alternative who can contain runs and break partnerships. She is a big-match player with extensive international cricket experience.
Jess Watkin
Jess Watkin is a 26-year-old right-hander who can score runs quickly in the middle order and has a high strike rate of 157.3 in Twenty20 cricket. A good off-spinner who can take important wickets and manage the run rate as well. In nine Twenty20 International matches, she has taken seven wickets. A dynamic player with the capacity to win games and add variety.
Pitch:
It is well recognised that the Basin Reserve pitch provides a fair bat-ball matchup. While spinners enter the game later, pacers typically find some movement early on, particularly in cloudy circumstances. Teams batting first appear to have a minor advantage, as evidenced by the first innings average score of 137. With teams averaging just 108 in the second innings, chasing has proven more difficult. With an average of six wickets per innings, the wicket has helped pacers and spinners significantly.
Weather:
Despite Wellington’s fickle weather, cricket-friendly conditions are anticipated for this encounter. Since there isn’t a lot of rain predicted, the game should go on without interruption. Early in the innings, quick bowlers may benefit from the slight cloud cover and mild temperature.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Jessica McFadyen, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Caitlin Gurrey, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Jess Watkin, Chamari Athapaththu, Nensi Patel, Jess Kerr, Sarah Glenn, Hannah Darlington
Match details:
Date: February 1, 2025
Time: 05:10 AM IST
Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast: In India, the game will be live streamed on FanCode.
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