Halliday hundred as Hearts beat again

• Brooke Halliday: List A debut for Auckland Hearts (previously Northern Districts)
• Reagen Dalley: Umpire List A debut
• Brooke Halliday: 3rd List A century
• Brooke Halliday: Career best List A score. Previous high, 106*
• Kate Anderson: 2,000 List A runs

With Saachi Shahri in support, Brooke Halliday scored a one-day century on her Auckland Hearts List A debut, proving enough to see off a strong challenge from the Canterbury Magicians on their home turf in Christchurch.

In a match reduced to 41 overs per side after early rain, Magicians captain Frankie Mackay had put the Aucklanders in and things didn't get off to a great start for the batters.

Youngster Cate Pedersen was a quick loss as Gabby Sullivan struck in her second over, then the big wicket of Hearts captain Maddy Green fell at 45/2 when she was bowled by Jess Simmons.

Cue a massive partnership from Shahri (70) and WHITE FERN Halliday. They put on 127 for the third, taking the team from the seventh to the 30th over together.

By the time Mackay broke it with opner Shahri's wicket, the Hearts were right back in the game. A few more wickets would fall at regular intervals, with Kate Anderson stopping dangerous Prue Catton after she had raced to 25 off 19. Then Simmons (3/49) struck twice in the 36th over.

But Halliday remained, controlling the innings. Taking her side past the 200-mark, she reached her third one-day ton at run-a-ball pace, with 12 boundaries and a six in the mix.

Eventually she departed in the 41st (last) over, swinging wildly at Mackay only to be bowled for 108, with just four balls left.

The Magicians would need to chase down 242/7, now, and they didn't get the start they wanted as Molly Penfold (3/40) dismissed Abigale Gerken off the very first ball of the chase.

However, it would be a long time before the Hearts celebrated again, after a sterling second-wicket stand of 136 from Mackay (61) and Anderson (82).

Anderson became Penfold's second victim in the 25th over just when it had seemed she was tracking nicely for three figures.

Mackay pushed on, losing another partner in Izzy Sharp - caught off wunderkind Rishika Jaswal. Maddy Green then had the big wicket of her opposing skipper a few overs later at 174/4 and the Canterbury door was left slightly ajar.

The Hearts kept it relatively tight through the next six overs and the pressure began to tell on the Magicians who lost a succession of wickets.

Needing 34 off the last three overs, Penfold and Fran Jonas ensured the boundary was hard to find, and the Magicians petered out at 228/8 with a big chance gone begging.