The third Super Smash women's update is led by Suzie Bates' impact with Otago with notes on young seamers and all things Auckland. Bates is in a groove and her standard Super Smash dominance follows on from strong performances in Women's Big Bash League as well as ODIs/T20Is against Bangladesh. Bates has three scores over 50 in her last six games and while she's not quite in an Amy Satterthwaite groove (yet to be dismissed this summer), Bates is near her best.

The theme of this Super Smash is absorbing these performances while knowing that the best wahine will depart with White Ferns ahead of finals cricket. Bates was the only Otago batter who scored 250+ runs last season (504 runs @ 56avg/115sr) and there is a similar trend this season with Bates joined by Kate Ebrahim in being the only Otago batters who have scored 50+ runs; Bates has 142 runs and Ebrahim's got 129 runs.

A low key difference is in Otago’s batting strike-rates and this is most evident in Ebrahim's attacking strokes over cover, down the ground etc. Here are the batting strike-rates from notable Otago batters compared to last season...

Kate Ebrahim: 111.2sr vs 91sr last season
Caitlin Blakely: 120sr vs 94.44sr
Bella James: 177.77sr vs 84.84sr
Polly Inglis: 72.72sr vs 95.37sr

Inglis is the only batter who has slowed down and her funky strokes could see her bump that strike-rate up in a few games. Bates, Martin and Hayley Jensen were the only Otago batters who scored 30+ runs with strike-rates over 100 last season. In a small sample size, Otago have six batters who have scored 10+ runs and five of them have strike-rates over 100.

How this develops could lay foundations of confidence for Otago's batters. Otago also has Emma Black proving to be a reliable seamer once again and the 21-year-old has found divine alignment at the time of writing, averaging 19.5 for the second season in a row. Canterbury also have youngsters Gabby Sullivan and Missy Banks among the best bowlers. All three of these seamers have racked up impressive T20 records...

Gabby Sullivan: 11.1ov, 5w @ 13.2avg/5.91rpo (17.73avg/6.39rpo career record)

Missy Banks: 11ov, 5w @ 15avg/6.81rpo (18.46avg/7.1rpo)
Emma Black: 12ov, 4w @ 19.5avg/6.5rpo (20.9avg/6.96rpo)

Here are some Auckland stats comparing this season's small sample size with last season...

Molly Penfold

2021/22: 7w @ 30.28avg/6.83rpo

2022/23: 2w @ 49avg/6.12rpo

Fran Jonas

2021/22: 7w @ 29.57avg/5.75rpo

2022/23: 2w @ 27.5avg/6.87rpo

Lauren Down

2021/22: 235 runs @ 23.5avg/94sr

2022/23: 57 runs @ 57avg/100sr

Izzy Gaze

2021/22: 76 runs @ 10.85avg/88.37sr

2022/23: 29 runs @ 14.5avg/100sr

Saachi Shahri

2021/22: 119 runs @ 29.75avg/108.18sr

2022/23: 73 runs @ 36.5avg/112.3sr

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