Aotearoa's Hallyburton Johnstone Shield began over the weekend with two fixtures between Otago Sparks and Central Districts Hinds. Last season CD finished third with 6 wins and 3 losses while Otago were rooted to the bottom of the HBJ Shield ladder with 10 losses from their 10 games, so let’s enjoy some bright future Sparks after back to back wins to start this summer.

Otago batted first in both games with 291/2 and 265 all out proving to hefty for CD. Katey Martin smacked 111* (150sr) in the first game, with help from Kate Ebrahim's 96* and Bella James' 53. Emma Black took 5w @ 4rpo and Molly Loe took 3w @ 1.40rpo to roll CD for 78. Then Polly Inglis led Otago's batters with 68 in the second game, while Emma Black (2.29rpo) and Eden Carson (3.10rpo) took 3 wickets each.

Highlights for CD were Melissa Hansen and Jess Watkin finishing the weekend with 4 wickets each.

Reminder that Kate Ebrahim is good at #HBJShield batting...

2016/17: 48.50avg.
2017/18: 52.28avg.
2018/19: 86.16ag.
2020/21: 60avg.

First knock of 2021/21: 96*.

Ebrahim has hit at least two 50+ scores in four consecutive campaigns.
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) October 30, 2021

Otago were boosted by having Martin and Suzie Bates in their line up (Bates finished with 18 runs from both games). The funkiest addition though is Ebrahim who ventured south from Canterbury and continued to churn out runs in the change of colours. Ebrahim has been an intriguing cricketer in the context of Aotearoa women's cricket as her domestic dominance has been rewarded with sporadic White Ferns appearances and usage. Given the White Ferns woes, this feels more like a case of strange player management rather than Ebrahim struggling to take her opportunities.

Then we have the bright future Sparks crew. James (22yrs) and Inglis (25yrs) had 50+ knocks each this weekend and for context, they had one 50+ score each in last summer's HBJ Shield having played all 10 games. Despite losing all 10 games, Otago's leading bowlers last summer were Black (20yrs) and Carson (20yrs)...

Black: 7th - 14w @ 28.71avg/5.22rpo.

Carson: 11th - 12w @ 35.91avg/5.75rpo.

Black finished with 8w from these two games, while Carson snared 4w all up. Fresh off of playing alongside Richie McCaw and Otago Volts Josh Finne and Max Chu for the Willows Cricket Club, 18-year-old Molly Loe also grabbed wickets in the first game. As Bates eases into her kiwi summer, Ebrahim and Martin led the way but the rest of Otago's contributions came from five players under the age of 25.

There is an interesting comparison to ponder here as well. Fresh White Fern call up Claudia Green laced up for CD and took 2w from both games, while established White Fern Hannah Rowe didn't take a wicket all weekend. This summer feeds into what will be a fabulous Aotearoa World Cup later on in the season and while domestic form hasn't really been a factor in recent White Ferns selections, there will a fun competitive vibe in all domestic performances this summer as players chase World Cup funk.

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Peace and love.