2021/22
Auckland Hearts beat Canterbury Magicians by 92 runs
Kennards Hire Community Oval, Auckland
12 February 2022
Today's Hallyburton Johnstone Shield match in Auckland has seen a remarkable New Zealand partnership record set by the Auckland Hearts, breaking the women's List A benchmark for the ninth wicket.
The Auckland Hearts' most-capped player of all time, captain and number four batter Katie Perkins, combined with debutante Sydney Bultitude to put on 110 runs for the ninth wicket.
The odd couple guided their team from a vulnerable position of 135/8 to a strong 245/9, batting together for 15 overs.
Perkins went on to an unbeaten 85* off 75 balls and Bultitude - who turns 22 on Monday - hit 40 off 48 balls in her first appearance for the team.
The Hearts had been sent in by Canterbury Magicians captain Laura Hughes at Kennards Hire Community Oval (Eden Park's number two ground), and first change Sarah Asmussen wreaked havoc with 4-33 before Bultitude joined Perkins in the 35th over to help the Hearts recover and move into a position to bat out their 50 overs.
The Hearts then put the Magicians under pressure early with the ball, Breearne Illing picking up her maiden wicket en route to figures of 2-15 off seven overs, including a maiden, in her first match, while 20-year-old Molly Penfold grabbed a career-best 4-42 in a 92-run victory with 13 overs to spare.
In her 199th overall List A appearance, the erstwhile WHITE FERN Perkins also ticked off 3000 List A one-day runs for the Auckland Hearts during her innings, among an overall one-day career tally of 4,271 runs.
Her partnership with Bultitude broke the national ninth-wicket mark of 97 that had been set by Andrea Stockwell and Michelle McKay (née Bunkall) for Wellington Blaze in Tawa, also against the Canterbury Magicians, in the 2012/13 season.
The two teams will meet again at the same venue tomorrow, weather permitting.
