Otago Sparks weren't much of a funky force last summer. In the Super Smash Otago didn't finish last, although their 3-7 record put them in the clear bottom half of Aotearoa women's cricket and a 0-10 record in Hallyburton-Johnstone Shield with no points accumulated did put the Sparks as the worst team in Aotearoa. While we like to celebrate the best women's teams in domestic cricket, the reality is that success can kinda be boiled down to how many White Ferns are in your team and for Otago this has them firmly in the chasing pack.

Even nigglier, to win championships domestic cricket teams need players who are solid at the domestic level but not quite established at an international level. White Ferns help Wellington Blaze win Super Smash titles, but to win an HBJ Shield championship while White Ferns are spending the summer months trying to suss out the winning cricket games puzzle - you need the domestic troopers. Otago Sparks didn’t have much of either.

An overall record of 3-17 doesn't point to any lovely storylines. Let's dive a wee bit deeper and find what Otago Sparks have tucked away and to help build the context, veteran White Fern Katey Martin is a lovely place to start. Martin is joined by Hayley Jensen as the Otago White Ferns, yet keeping it a full steak and cheese here; neither did much in terms of production for Aotearoa this summer.

vs England (ODI | T20I)

Katey Martin: 2inns, 31 runs @ 15.50avg/43.05sr | 3inns, 39 runs @ 13avg/102.63sr.

Hayley Jensen: 3inns, 61 runs @ 20.33avg/76.25sr | 3inns, 25 runs @ 8.33avg/67.56sr.

vs Australia (ODI | T20I)

Katey Martin: 3inns, 26 runs @ 8.66avg/52sr | 2inns, 6 runs @ 3avg/46.15sr.

Hayley Jensen: 3inns, 41 runs @ 13.66avg/58.57sr | 2inns, 17 runs @ 8.50avg/65.38sr.

As far as White Ferns context goes, Martin is a fine wicket-keeper and appears to be an important cultural leader. In one of many boggling White Ferns selections this summer and beyond, Jensen opened the batting in every game while not opening every game for Otago and being a decent middle-order all-rounder. Martin's leadership is the most important thing here and while the White Ferns seemed to suck all enthusiasm out of the best wahine cricketers, Martin played her role with Otago extremely well.

In just four games, Martin finished with 258 runs @ 64.50avg/95.91sr in the HBJ Shield (1 x 100, 2 x 50). Martin was 12th in HBJ Shield runs overall, more importantly she was the second best Otago batswoman. In n the Super Smash, Martin finished as the best Otago batswoman with 265 runs @ 29.44avg/116.74sr from her 10inns.

The reason Otago struggled, is the reason for Otago optimism.

Sophie Devine scored 188 of her 434 Super Smash runs in two games vs Otago. Devine hit 108* @ 284.21sr and 80 @ 181.81sr, both of which were Devine at her best and as sports is a ruthless wee bugger, I let that simmer for the summer. In these two games, Otago used eight different bowlers and four of them were teenagers while six of the eight bowlers were 22-years-old or younger.

Coming up against the Blazer Devine would be a ... learning curve to say the least. Let alone facing an all-international batting unit that Wellington, Auckland or Cantebrury can often serve up. Along with an Otago Sparks batting line up that skews very young, this is why Otago could barely win a game and yet the quality of these youngsters is what should give Otago cricket folk plenty of vitality moving forward. For kiwi cricket fans, this is a pocket of young talent that needs to be tuned into.

Here is a break down of the key performers for Otago Sparks this summer

Otago Sparks HBJ Shield

Wickets

Emma Black - 19yrs - - 14w @ 28.71avg/5.22rpo (7th)

Eden Carson - 19yrs - - 12w @ 35.91avg/5.75rpo (12th)

Sophie Oldershaw - 22yrs - - 10w @ 29.80avg/5.30rpo (19th)

Runs

Caitlin Blakely - 25yrs - - 269 runs @29.88avg/57.11sr, 2 x 50 (8th)

Katey Martin (see above)

Polly Inglis - 24yrs - - 211 runs @ 21.10avg/81.46sr, 1 x 50 (17th)

Bella James - 22yrs - 175 runs @ 17.50avg/54.85sr, 1 x 50 (19th).

Otago Sparks Super Smash

Wickets

Emma Black - 12w @ 21avg/7.56rpo (6th)

Sophie Oldershaw - 10w @ 18.90avg/6.09rpo (9th)

Eden Carson - 9w @ 24.22avg/7.26rpo (14th)

Runs

Katey Martin (see above)

Polly Inglis - 217 runs @ 24.11avg/90.79sr, 1 x 50 (10th)

Millie Cowan - 27yrs - - 142 runs @ 14.20avg/104.41r (20th)

Take out Martin and the three best bowlers and batswomen for Otago in the HBJ Shield are 25-years or younger. Emma Black was a top-10 bowler in both competitions via her righty-seam, while Eden Carson and Sophie Oldershaw were top-20 bowlers in both competitions. Carson is an offie and Oldershaw is a leggy, meaning Otago's two young spinners were flirting with the best bowlers in Aotearoa cricket despite Otago struggling.

Black and Carson played all 10 games in both competitions, while Oldershaw played 17 (of 20) games. Polly Inglis, Bella James and Caitlin Blakeley played every game this summer as the young batswomen. Relying on young players as Otago Sparks have isn't going to help you win many games right now, the benefits though will start to emerge in coming years and this is amplified by Otago Sparks having three other players named in the Aotearoa Under 19 Women's team.

Gemma Adams, Olivia Gain and Molly Loe made that Under 19 squad from Otago. Adams (9 games) and Loe (7 games) both bowled 25+ overs in the Super Smash, while Loe also bowled 30ov in HBJ Shield (4 games). Gain played 8 games in the HBJ Shield. Gain hit a 50 in the second of three games vs NZ Police which was the highest NZ U19 score in that game, while Adams hit 46 in the third game and that was the second highest knock for the U19s in that game. Loe finished with 4w from the three games.

19-year-old Saffron Wilson featured in the HBJ Shield and 20-year-old Bhagya Herath also chimed in for Otago this summer. 21-year-old Marina Lamplough is already an international for Hong Kong and she also played a bunch of games. To round this all off...

Three NZ Under 19 players (Adams, Gain, Loe), along with notable 19-year-olds such as Black, Carson and Wilson. That's six Otago Sparks 19yrs or younger.

Between 20-25; Oldershaw, James, Blakely, Inglis, Lamplough and Herath.

That's nine Otago Sparks 25yrs or younger.

It's easy to look at results and come to a conclusion. Within this Otago Sparks young wave there are insights as to how every sports team is in a slightly different long-term spot, operating with different plans and team-building strategies. There are also insights as to where women's cricket sits in Aotearoa as every domestic team is rolling out teenagers of a high quality, some are doing so with plenty of White Ferns offering support and some like Otago Sparks are fully embracing their young wave.

For Otago cricket fans, this is where you should be concentrating your energy. I don't know if this is the best crop of young talent in Aotearoa, but the quality and quantity puts Otago Sparks in a fascinating position moving forward.

Peace and love.