STAGS, HINDS NEED SUPER SATURDAY

A big round 10 awaits | PHOTOSPORT

The Central Hinds and Stags have headed to Dunedin each looking for a final-round win to keep their Dream11 Super Smash finals hopes alive.

After a convincing away victory over the Canterbury Kings on Tuesday, defending men’s champions the Stags bounded back up to second on the table in the tight race for the three men’s qualification spots — but are by no means sure of going through, with the four chasing teams having a game in hand.

 

 

For the Stags, conversely, it’s their last game in the regular season tomorrow, a maximum four points on offer if they can make it two from two against the well performed Otago Volts in this campaign.

 

 

Detailed points table

 

Both the unchanged Stags and hosts the Volts head into the crunch, televised doubleheader at University of Otago Oval on 18 points, the Stags holding second spot courtesy of a higher net run rate that was rocket-boosted by their landslide opening-round demolition of the Knights in Napier.

 

Captain Tom Bruce is the Stags' top run-scorer

Net run rate is likely to prove crucial with the Volts or Kings (who meet each other in their final round on Tuesday) also capable of finishing on 22 points, while both the Wellington Firebirds and Auckland Aces will finish ahead of the pack if the Aces can win their final two rounds, against the Knights (this afternoon in Auckland) and the Firebirds, which would leave just one spot for the third qualifier.

 

Blair Tickner took a four-fa against the Kings

The only thing that is certain is that cellar-dwellers the Knights won’t be hosting this year’s Grand Final, the Firebirds in the box seat ahead of a nail-biting few days for the Stags who must pray other results fall their way, as well as taking care of their own result tomorrow.

 

 

The giant-killing Central Hinds likewise face a must-win against hosts the Otago Sparks whose international-stacked side brushed them aside in Napier just over a week ago. 

 

PHOTOSPORT

The Hinds quickly rebounded with an impressive away win against the Auckland Hearts on the weekend — making it two from two against one of the country’s strongest units in the women’s game, whilst they have also beaten last year’s Finalists the Canterbury Magicians twice this season.

 

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After having struggled through the 2018/19 summer without winning a game in the T20 format (despite clinching the one-day trophy), the Hinds can already take plenty of heart from their 2019/20 T20 results.

 

Let the good times roll | PHOTOSPORT

 

They need to beat the Sparks tomorrow in order to qualify for the 2v3 Elimination Final against the Hearts — with defending champions Wellington Blaze already having qualified top to lock in the hosting rights for this year's women's Grand Final in Wellington.

 

 

The Hinds have headed to Dunedin in third spot on the table, holding a crucial 0.5 point advantage over the Sparks as a result of the Sparks having been penalised 0.5 points for a slow over rate against Northern Spirit in Alexandra on 29 December.

 

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The Sparks are the only side that can bump the Hinds out of the top three — and, only if they win tomorrow's head-to-head encounter.

The women’s showdown begins at 12.40PM, followed by the men at 4.10PM, both crunch games broadcast live on SKY Sport, Prime, and Radio Sport.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CENTRAL HINDS v OTAGO SPARKS

Dream11 Super Smash

Saturday 11 January 2020

University of Otago Oval, Dunedin

12.40PM

 

Hannah ROWE (co-captain) — Manawatū

Jess WATKIN (co-captain) — Whanganui

Georgia ATKINSON — Wairarapa

Kate BAXTER — Taranaki

Emily CUNNINGHAM — Taranaki

Natalie DODD —  wicketkeeper — Taranaki

Claudia GREEN — Nelson

Mikaela GREIG — Manawatū

Melissa HANSEN — Wairarapa

Rosemary MAIR — Hawke’s Bay

Monique REES — Taranaki

Anlo VAN DEVENTER — Wairarapa

 

Unavailable - injury: Kerry Tomlinson

 

 

CENTRAL STAGS v OTAGO VOLTS

Saturday 11 January 2020

University of Otago Oval, Dunedin

4.10PM

 

Tom BRUCE (captain) — Taranaki

Josh CLARKSON — Nelson

Dane CLEAVER (wicketkeeper) — Manawatū

Jayden LENNOX — Hawke’s Bay

Christian LEOPARD — Hawke’s Bay

Willem LUDICK — Nelson

Kieran NOEMA-BARNETT — Hawke’s Bay

Ajaz PATEL — Hawke’s Bay

Seth RANCE — Wairarapa

Blair TICKNER — Hawke’s Bay

Ryan WATSON — Taranaki

Ben WHEELER — Marlborough

George WORKER — Manawatū

 

Unavailable - injury/recovery: Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Bevan Small

 

 


Article added: Friday 10 January 2020

 

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