2021/22 Women's Super Smash: The Differing Journeys of CD Hinds and Otago Sparks
In pondering how to wrap up the Women's Super Smash action from the past weekend, another Otago Sparks win and Central Hinds loss signaled two teams heading in two different directions. The Hinds were cruising against Canterbury, fresh off a knock of 52 from skipper Natalie Dodd with Canterbury 82/4 in the 16th over chasing 141/4. Opener Natalie Cox held the innings together with 63* (119sr) as Lea Tahuhu whacked 39* (244sr) to seal victory for the Cantabs and highlight a melancholy Hinds vibe.
Unfortunately for CD Hinds, they were shocked by Tahuhu and saw victory slip away. That switch in vibe stems from being 0-3 to start the Super Smash and all three losses feature the Hinds scoring less than 140 runs, while unable to take more than 7 wickets. There is a spread of opponents here too with the Hinds losing to Otago, Wellington and Canterbury.
Natalie Dodd has nothing to do with the lack of runs and continues to be a force in domestic cricket. Dodd has improved throughout the Super Smash with scores of 9, 24 and 52 which is in tune with her Super Smash history. Dodd has scored 200+ runs in four of the last five Super Smash competitions and that breaks down to roughly being top-15 for Super Smash runs most seasons. Last summer Dodd scored 301 runs @ 43avg and the next best batter was Anlo van Deventer (174 runs @ 29avg) who moved to Australia.
Three games in and Dodd is the only player averaging over 20. Georiga Atkinson offers hope with a 51 runs @ 17avg/150sr and that's useful alongside Dodd who lacks a powerful hitting game but is super crafty. Jess Watkin has 128 runs @ 32avg/124sr in Hallyburton-Johnston Shield and somehow Watkin has dropped down to 84sr for Super Smash. Mikaela Greig has shown nifty signs as well, no one has been able to step up in support of Dodd yet though.
The bigger issue is CD Hinds bowling which features White Ferns Hannah Rowe, Rosemary Mair and Claudia Green. That's always mentioned in commentary, although the Hinds are yet to bowl a team out and don't have a bowler with 4+ wickets among the best in the Super Smash.
Mair is returning to cricket from injury and her ODI record of 4w in 11 games @ 105avg is helped along by a T20I record of 13w in 17 games @ 24.69avg. That doesn't scream World Cup selection and her last 10 games (HBJ Shield, ODI/T20I vs Australia, Super Smash) feature no games with more than 1 wicket. Mair has started the Super Smash with a wicket in both games, so hopefully she is laying some foundations.
Claudia Green is the best Hinds bowler right now with 0w, 1w and 2w in her three games. 2w vs Canterbury is Green's only 2+ wicket performance in her last 10 games which is the period after being promoted to the White Ferns mix late last summer. The development bump from being around the White Ferns is missing here.
Rowe has 2w @ 48.50avg in Super Smash and 2w @ 61avg in HBJ Shield. Rowe was Aotearoa's best bowler in the ODI series vs England this winter with 10w @ 20avg and has since taken 0 wickets in four of six domestic games, while scoring less than 20 in all but one domestic game. Last season's Super Smash saw Rowe take 6w @ 38avg and after decent White Ferns stints, the lack of progress is puzzling.
The weird thing about CD Hinds being 0-3 and Otago Sparks being 3-0 is that last summer, these two teams were even in the Super Smash. Hinds finished last with a 2-8 record, while Sparks were a spot above CD with a 3-7 record. These two teams started this season's Super Smash from same spot and their diverting paths are a low key funky kiwi sports yarn right now.
I have covered the Otago Sparks vibe a few times already...
The Sparks defeated Northern Brave on Sunday, restricting Northern to 135/4 before finishing up 139/6 in the last over. Here's how the Sparks now sit across the best bowlers and batters...
Batters
Suzie Bates: 1st - 156 runs @ 78avg/127sr.
Polly Inglis: 7th - 58 runs @ 19.33avg/100sr.
Kate Ebrahim: 9th - 54 runs @ 27avg/100sr.
Katey Martin: 11th - 51 runs @ 17avg/80sr.
Bowlers
Sophie Oldershaw: 3rd - 5w @ 11.40avg/4.75rpo.
Hayley Jensen: 4th - 4w @ 5avg/5rpo (played one game before a trip to Australia).
Kate Ebrahim: 3w @ 21avg/6.30rpo.
Emma Black: 3w @ 22avg/5.50rpo.
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Peace and love.