Auckland (5th | 4 points | 1-2)

Tracking Molly Penfold's mahi continues to be confusing and intriguing. Penfold has been anointed as Aotearoa's best seam-bowling youngster with a career record of 35.93avg/5.3rpo in List-A cricket and 42avg/6.85rpo in T20. Penfold has flashed her potential as batters respect her skills and target other Auckland bowlers, although she still struggles to snare wickets at the domestic level.

Penfold's best performance this season was in a warm-up game against Bangladesh in which she took 5w. Penfold has five games without a wicket in her last 10 games and she has taken 1w @ 68avg/6.18rpo so far in the Super Smash. Last season Penfold was Auckland's fifth best bowler with 7w @ 30.28avg/6.83rpo which came alongside veterans Holly Huddleston and Anna Peterson, neither of whom has played this season.

This leaves Penfold as a leader in Auckland's bowling unit and without many wickets, Auckland have and could continue to struggle for wins. Compare Penfold's wicket-taking nous with Ireland international Arlene Kelly who took 10w @ 20.20avg/5rpo last season and currently has 3w @ 23avg/6.27rpo this season.

Northern (4th | 4 points | 1-2)

Despite losing Kate Anderson to Canterbury, Northern have built a solid top-order as well getting value from their overseas recruits. Bernadine Bezuidenthout and Sam Barriball aren't new recruits for Northern, although Bezuidenhout is returning from a break and Barriball's improvements have boosted Northern's batting.

Last season Barriball scored 137 runs @ 15.22avg/80.58sr and this season she has scored 103 runs @ 34.33avg/117sr. Bezuidenhout, Barriball and Caitlin Gurrey are all averaging 20+ with strike-rates over 100 in Super Smash and this ensures that Nensi Patel can continue her development (26 runs @ 8.66avg/68sr).

As for the overseas recruits...

Amanda-Jade Wellington: 48 rns @ 16avg/114.28sr | 4w @ 19avg/6.33rpo
Phoebe Graham: 14 runs @ 14avg/155.55sr | 4w @ 21.25avg/7.72rpo

Central (6th | 0 points | 0-3)

Last season Hannah Rowe was one of Central's best batters and not among their best bowlers. This season Rowe is Central's best player...

Bat: 82 runs @ 27.33avg/112.32sr
Ball: 4w @ 13.75avg/5.5rpo

Rowe is the only Central batter who has scored 50+ runs. Rowe is only joined by Jess Watkin (44 runs @ 151.72sr) as Central batters with strike-rates over 100. Rowe has less wickets than Claudia Green's 5w @ 14.6avg/6.73rpo and they are Central's only bowlers with at least 3w.

Wellington (1st | 12 points | 3-0)

Wellington have won all three games so far, Amelia Kerr is gaining experience as skipper while White Ferns and role-players dominate their opposition. How does Wellington deal with upcoming exodus?

Wellington could lose half their 1st 11 as White Ferns depart for the T20 World Cup, while Georgia Plimmer is in the Aotearoa Under 19 squad for their World Cup. Also in the U19 squad are Kate Chandler and Natasha Codyre who would bolster Wellington's depth. Wellington could crumble and that would be all good considering the circumstances, yet Wellington have the best wahine development system in Aotearoa and will likely keep hunting Super Smash finals.

This may lead to a new player emerging or further Leigh Kasperek dominance if she's overlooked for White Ferns again. How Wellington works through this phase will be fascinating and cricket freaks would be wise to track this group closely.

Canterbury (2nd | 12 points | 3-1)

Canterbury's best players...

Kate Anderson: 3rd - 157 runs @ 52.33avg/112.94sr
Amy Sattertwhaite: 4th - 134 runs @ 134avg/120.72sr
Missy Banks: 1st - 8w @ 12avg/6.4rpo
Gabby Sullivan: 3rd - 6w @ 15.83avg/6.26rpo

Banks was excellent last summer as well with 14w @ 15.78avg/6.9rpo. Sullivan has been fabulous in HBJ Shield this season with 9w @ 8.66avg/2.64rpo. These two are the best young seamers in Aotearoa.

Last season Anderson hit 170 runs @ 21.25avg/96.59sr. Satterthwaite was dismissed for the first time this season in Canterbury's loss to Wellington, this was also her first score below 40 this season.

Otago (3rd | 8 points | 2-2)

Kasperek, Satterthwaite and Kate Ebrahim. These three will be crucial for their teams while White Ferns are away and all three will impact games as all-rounders. Ebrahim's development from last season is notable given the role she will play for Otago in the coming weeks.

2021/22: 153 runs @ 21.85avg/91sr | 13w @ 19.76avg/6.47rpo
2022/23: 174 runs @ 58avg/108sr | 6w @ 17.5avg/7rpo

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