ROUND 7 of 10
NORTHERN SPIRIT defeated WELLINGTON BLAZE BY 121 runs
Cobham Oval | Whangarei
1 February 2020
List A debut for Northern Spirit: Mikayla Templeton, Holly Topp, Lucy Boucher
List A debut for Wellington Blaze: Priyanaz Chatterji, Olivia Boivin, Natasha Codyre
It was the beginning of a perfect and ground-breaking weekend for Northern Spirit who were getting closer and closer to qualifying for New Zealand's national women's one-day Final for the first time in their 30-year history.
How good does that look Spirit fans! 👀Today's bonus point win takes us top of the #HBJShield! 👌🏏#ndtogether #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/IEj1atSJuJ
— Northern Districts (@ndcricket) February 1, 2020
At a warm Cobham Oval, the side dominated Wellington Blaze from the outset with a 121-run victory to open their fun weekend at home.
It was certainly an enjoyable way for Northland's own Makayla Templeton to make her Women's List A debut - watching her teammates plaster on a hefty 265 for three in the baking conditions.
Eimear Richardson had joined in the fun at 98 for one, after Katie Gurrey had been trapped halfway through the innings for a polished 52.
Richardson carried on for almost the rest of the innings, her departure on 97 at the death putting the only dampener on Spirit's mood.
She had shared a 101-run partnership for the third wicket with opener Felicity Leydon-Davis (69), setting up the strong total.
WWW!! 🏏
— Northern Districts (@ndcricket) February 1, 2020
Kate Anderson putting the @Wgtn_Blaze in a spin as she takes three wickets in her first eight balls â˜ï¸â˜ï¸â˜ï¸
79/6⚪ï¸Live scorecard | https://t.co/0Cf3IUuFJy#ndtogether #HBJShield #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/dOhBpebxs8
Rolled for 141 with a handful of overs to spare, Blaze just couldn't match that as spinner Kate Anderson twirled her way to a career-best five-wicket bag (5-30 off 9.1 overs).
Templeton (2-26) meanwhile claimed her first two wickets in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.