The stuttering start to Women’s Super Smash in Aotearoa has created a weird points table where three teams are undefeated (Otago, Wellington, Auckland) and two teams are yet to win a game (Central, Northern). More games and a better mix of opponents will spice things up over the next week or so and whether enjoying Women’s Super Smash as a funky cricket competition, or piecing together how Aotearoa’s White Ferns will win a home World Cup; there’s plenty to ponder.

Leigh Kasperek/Amelia Kerr/Frances Mackay

Funky note here as Leigh Kasperek and Frances Mackay are top-five in runs and wickets, while Amelia Kerr is first in runs and sixth for bowlers. Kasperek and Kerr are currently leading Wellington, which with the ball has come alongside hearty support from lefty Maneka Singh (5w @ 8.40rpo). Batting is intriguing for Wellington as Kasperek and Kerr are the only Wellington batters with 50+ runs, while White Ferns batter Maddy Green has 9 runs from 3 innings.

Leigh Kasperek: 6w @ 4.63rpo/11sr | 103 runs @ 127sr.

Amelia Kerr: 5w @ 3.45rpo/13.2sr | 183 runs @ 126sr.

Frances Mackay: 6w @ 5.75rpo/12sr | 110 runs @ 96sr.

Canterbury Spin vs Seam

Canterbury have Mackay (6w), Sarah Asmussen (4w) and Satterthwaite (2w) as their spinners. These three have accounted for 12w while Missy Banks (3w), Jacinta Savage (1w), Jess Simmons and Kate Sims have combined for 4w. All three spinners are conceding less than 6.50rpo while the seamers are all conceding more than that marker and this is a wee bit more interesting as Tahuhu is yet to bowl for Canterbury.

20-year-old Missy Banks and 21-year-old Jess Simmons are exciting seam prospects along the same lines of Otago's Molly Loe and Emma Black. If these two can find a wicket or two every game and Savage chimes in as an all-rounder, Canterbury will be a factor late in the tournament. Right now there are too many options to escape pressure and Canterbury have taken 17 of a possible 30 wickets, with their two losses coming as they tried to chase down Wellington's 140-odd. Sharpen that up, add Tahuhu into the mix at some point and Canterbury will be another fun team to follow.

Central Hinds Bowling

I'm still fascinated by the diverting paths of Central and Otago. Last summer these two teams were at the bottom of the Super Smash ladder and now Otago are 4-0, while Central are 0-4. Central have twice been dismissed for 70-odd and have not put up a total over 140. With three White Ferns bowlers they have taken 17 of a possible 40 wickets.

Claudia Green: 13ov - 3w @ 23.33avg/5.38rpo/26sr.

Rosemary Mair: 10ov - 2w @ 25.50avg/5.10rpo/30sr.

Hannah Rowe: 15ov - 2w @ 57avg/7.60rpo/45sr.

Forget about WF context, Central need their best bowlers to fire if they are to gather more wins. The issue is that this doesn't seem to be a Super Smash specific issue as their HBJ Shield mahi is similar. Mair hasn't played HBJ Shield yet, while Rowe has 2w @ 61avg and Green has 2w @ 31.50avg. I'm curious about how the best players lead their teams and while someone like Amelia Kerr elevates her Wellington outfit, the same vigour doesn't seem to be present with Central's WF. It won't take much, just wickets in most games, confidence flowing and then building from that.

Extra White Ferns Seamer

Who will command White Ferns seam selection? The form of that Central trio is a factor here and while I love the young talent in Aotearoa, the young seamers and spinners (who are kinda dominating) should not be selected for a World Cup based on potential. The White Ferns need grizzly seamers who can go to battle with the best batters in the world and I'm interested in Holly Huddleston's mahi for Auckland here, then Wellington's Jess Kerr.

Huddleston is the veteran campaigner and I reckon she would be a good option alongside Tahuhu. Auckland haven't played an HBJ Shield game yet and Huddleston has 2w in two Super Smash games, while J-Kerr also hasn't featured in HBJ Shield and has 2w from one game of Super Smash. Both will need to stack up Super Smash wickets in the next few weeks to legit demand a WF nod and the form of the other notable seamers around Aotearoa could also play into this.

Kate Ebrahim

Regular check in with Kate Ebrahim's excellence. First is the reminder that Ebrahim has averaged 60+ in the last three HBJ Shield campaigns (including this summer) and 45+ for the last five seasons of HBJ Shield. Ebrahim also averaged 45+ for the three Super Smash seasons prior to now and after four games this summer, Ebrahim has a solid 71 runs @ 35avg/98sr.

If Ebrahim keeps this up, she will average 45+ in four consecutive summers of HBJ Shield and Super Smash. Meanwhile, in this summer's HBJ Shield Ebrahim has 4w @ 22avg/5.23rpo and in the Super Smash Ebrahim is ranked third with 6w @ 12.66avg/5.84rpo. Let's keep this a full steak and cheese; Kate Ebrahim is one of the best female cricketers in Aotearoa.

This has only resulted in sporadic White Ferns selection and when selected, Ebrahim has been shafted down the order while not bowling. None of the young WF have come close to emulating Ebrahim and while she should be a 1st 11 World Cup factor, more dominance will only make Ebrahim's case that much more compelling.

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Peace and love.