Last summer, Canterbury Magicians finished last in Aotearoa's Super Smash with the worst net run-rate and tied for the worst record as they went 2-8 in their 10 games. Meanwhile, Wellington Blaze won all 10 of their games and cruised to victory over Auckland Hearts to snare their third Super Smash championship in a row. Now Canterbury are Super Smash champions after wiggling past Wellington in the final and while the headlines offer a surface level vibe, there is plenty of Cantab funk lurking deep in the mangroves.

As far as a game of T20 cricket goes, this final was juicy. Wellington's top-three of Sophie Devine, Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr batswomen scored 100 of their 125 runs batting first as Canterbury's Amy Satterthwaite snared 3w @ 3.25rpo in her 4 overs. Wellington were cruising along at 100/2 with 6 overs remaining, Canterbury tucked them away for 125/8 off the 20 overs.

Canterbury's run chase was rather weird. They dipped behind the game in losing Natalie Cox and Satterthwaite early, then by the 10th over they were ravaged by an Amelia Kerr hat-trick and it looked as though Wellington was going to ease their way to another Super Smash chip. 60/6 in the 14th over with Kate Ebrahim grinding through the middle stages and Lea Tahuhu coming to the crease. Tahuhu had not hit a six in the Super Smash prior to the final, 3 sixes later and Canterbury are Super Smash champions.

To sum up Wellington Blaze...

Kerr's hatty was nice. Everyone loves such obvious moments of sporting funk and the commentators were quick to spin a yarn with Kerr in the next over. While those commentators quizzed Kerr about her hat-trick, Kerr instantly praised Leigh Kasperek for her over 9th over (the over before Kerr's hatty). Kasperek was bowling to Mackay and Kate Ebrahim, conceding 1 run off that over.

Kerr sighted that pressure and how much she loves bowling in combination with Kasperek - they are two of the best spinners in the world after all. The commentators kept peppering Kerr, searching for the most un-kiwi sports thing ever in celebrating oneself. Kerr though, praised the work of Devine and sister Jess as they bowled nicely at the start of the innings.

That's an Aotearoa cricket superstar, an international cricket superstar who took was in flow with her leggies ... and wrongies. Everything about Wellington cricket that I've learned in following their team culture/championship vibes was on display in Kerr's hat-trick as well as Kerr's assessment afterwards. No matter what sport you're playing in Aotearoa, winning comes with certain team-first approach, a certain vibe within your team whanau and Kerr epitomised this in that moment.

This leads me to the key figure in the Cantebrury team.

Kate Ebrahim.

Again, listening to commentary would have left many fans wondering if Ebrahim was actually doing her job. We are going to be graced with fun T20I cricket in the coming weeks and of course there is a fetish for big hitting in T20 cricket, yet I'm always reminded of how important gritty T20 knocks are. Ebrahim came to the crease in the 5th over, Canterbury were 18/2 and Wellington were rolling through their White Ferns calibre bowling attack; Devine, J-Kerr, A-Kerr, Kasperek. Chuck in their young left Maneka Singh and between Devine, Singh, A-Kerr and Kasperek they all conceded less than 6rpo.

Ebrahim and Mackay bounced back, taking Canterbury to 40/3 when Mackay was dismissed to start the hat-trick. Ebrahim watched all that at the other end and was chillin with 9 runs of 13 deliveries at the end of Kerr's hatty over. Up until the end of the 18th over, Ebrahim had a strike-rate below 100 and was sitting on 33 off 34 with 2 overs remaining.

All the while, there is a sense that Ebrahim is out of control from the commentators. Tahuhu hit two sixes in the 17th over and Canterbury still needed 27 off 18 balls, which quickly became 21 of 12 balls after A-Kerr conceded 6 runs off the 18th over. In the 19th over, Ebrahim scored 10 runs including a couple fours and by the end of that over, Canterbury needed 9 off 6.

No one appreciates Satterthwaite and Tahuhu as cricketers and powerful Aotearoa wahine more than The Niche Cache. We've yarned numerous times about Mackay's consistent dominance across all Aotearoa cricket and all played their part in this win - not only in performances but also in leadership. When it mattered most, when Canterbury were clinging to this contest after brilliance from A-Kerr, it was Ebrahim who played the knock that often wins T20 games.

Get in. Rotate the strike. Rebuild the innings. Hit boundaries.

Canterbury finished last in the 2019/20 Super Smash. Mackay held it down for Canterbury last summer playing all 10 games. Tahuhu managed to play six games, while Satterthwaite took the summer off for mum-mahi. Who else was absent for Canterbury? Ebrahim took the summer off, also for mum-mahi.

Ebrahim batted in 9inns and every innings batted was either not-out, or 20+ runs. Ebrahim finishes the Super Smash with 5 not-outs, alluding to her being a rather nifty finisher and again, while the commentators stressed about big hitting, Ebrahim built the Canterbury innings up by herself. Ebrahim finishes the Super Smash with 292 runs @ 73avg/101.38sr.

Ebrahim didn't play last summer's Super Smash, Ebrahim has averaged 40+ in four of her past five Super Smash campaigns.

Aotearoa women's one-day cricket (Hallyburton-Johnstone Shield)?

Ebrahim currently has 328 runs in 6inns @ 65.60avg. Ebrahim has averaged 50+ in this summer's HBJ Shield and the three before that.

I won't dive into White Ferns selection as there's been no shortage of 'huuuuh?' moments in terms of selecting Aotearoa's best women cricketers. In sussing out Canterbury's Super Smash win, it makes complete sense that Ebrahim played the knock she did and was a key figure in what is also a rather young Cantab unit.

Satterthwaite, Tahuhu, Ebrahim and Mackay have done a fine job as leaders for Canterbury. They perform and they blend in with the younger crop, which didn't include the talented Jacinta Savage who missed the finals via injury. Savage is a genuine all-rounder and was part of the NZC development contract group; Canterbury won without her.

Canterbury's second best bowler? 22-year-old seamer Gabby Sullivan.

Canterbury's funky spinner? 20-year-old leggy Sarah Asmussen.

Canterbury's job-doing youngster? 19-year-old Missy Banks - who grabbed the wicket of Devine.

Two players hit 6+ sixes in the Super Smash. One was Devine (14) and one was 26-year-old opener Natalie Cox with her 6 sixes.

Laura Hughes didn't have to bat often, she did whip off the bails in nifty fashion to run-out A-Kerr.

21-year-old Emma Kench played four Super Smash games, one of which was the final.

No matter how much we know about team sports, winning games in a team and building a winning team culture, the easy option is to pin-point one player. Canterbury Magicians won the 2020/21 Super Smash thanks to a squad that chipped in through the tournament and then their 1st 11 found a way to win the most important game of them all.

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Peace and love.