Super Smash Preview: Part 2

By Mark Currie

Women’s Preview

After last summer’s resounding success of having the whole competition run parallel to the Men’s Competition, it’s more of the same this time around. With all the WhiteFerns available, there’s no shortage of talent although there are question marks around if preparing for a home 50 over World Cup on a diet of T20 is the smartest option. Last summer saw a clear top 3, bottom 3 divide with the bottom 3 winning just 2 from 18 against playoff opposition. I’d expect it to be closer with both Otago and Central likely to be the big improvers.

Top Run-scorer: Kate Ebrahim (Otago)
Top wicket-taker: Amelia Kerr (Wellington)
Game to watch: Canterbury vs Otago at Hagley on Boxing Day shapes a hugely important game around the halfway mark. Should be a good crowd in and Otago will back themselves.

1. Wellington Blaze. A touch inconsistent last season (by their high standards) but were one Lea Tahuhu batting spree away from winning the final. Packed with talent and in very encouraging early season form in the one-day comp. In what will not be my boldest prediction, Amelia Kerr will reap the benefits of some time away from the game and dominate. Otago give them a scare in the final but Devine goes big and they win the final to avenge the demons of a year earlier.
2. Otago Sparks. Not their strongest season last summer by their own admission but have started the summer strongly in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield. The signing of Kate Ebrahim from Canterbury and the return from injury of Suzie Bates make a huge difference to this side. Perhaps more significantly though is the further growth and development of a young, promising bowling group of Loe, Black, Oldershaw and Carson. Like the Volts, the pre-Christmas games against CD and ND are vital as they return to the playoffs. The strong start sees them into a semi away to Canterbury where they get the job done and make the big dance for the first time since 2017.
3. Canterbury Magicians. Three names stand out on paper (Mackay, Tahuhu and Satterthwaite) but it’s the players around them that make them a force in this competition. Gabby Sullivan and Sarah Asmussen are two of the best bowlers in this competition and you’d back them to defend most scores. Should be comfortably in the top 3 but I have them coming undone at home in the semifinal.
4. Auckland Hearts. Always there and thereabouts but one of the four has to miss on the playoffs and I wasn’t leaving out my Sparks. Hard to predict having not seen them play yet this summer but stacked with experience in Huddleston, Perkins and Peterson. Left-arm spinner Fran Jonas debuted for the White Ferns at just 16 years old last summer.
5. Central Hinds. There’s a nice core of players in this Central team in Jess Watkin, Claudia Green, Hannah Rowe and Rosemary Mair alongside the very experienced Nat Dodd (who will likely play her 100^th T20 vs Otago in the opening round.) The lack of runs on the board let them down in the Super Smash last summer and may do so again. Will vastly improve and challenge the top four but perhaps not often enough to be in the mix at the business end.
6. Northern Brave. Perhaps responsible for two of the real stars of last summer in Nensi Patel with the ball and Brooke Halliday with the bat. Started strongly last season (including beating the Blaze) before falling away and I’m thinking similar this summer. The loss of Felicity Leydon-Davis to the Sparks is a big blow.

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Next; Men’s competition predictions.