NZC National Women’s Under 19 Tournament
T20 WRAP
Sunday 22 December 2019
On the penultimate day of the new age group Nationals at this level, the first day of T20 action saw the tournament lead change hands in a top of the table clash
ROUND SIX
CD U19 beat Canterbury U19
Lincoln Green
ND U19's win over Canterbury in the morning and Central's win over third-placed Auckland set up a riveting situation in the afternoon in a top of the table clash between incumbent leaders Canterbury and CD, who were now just two points behind in second.
The winner would be guaranteed to take the the lead into the final day.
Canterbury had made a great start to the tournament, but CD had been steadily been playing catch-up while Canterbury had finally dropped a game the previous day.
Canterbury captain Missy Banks sent CD in after winning the toss but despite the early loss of Margot Scoular, fellow opener Ocean Bartlett got CD off to a solid start with the bat, her top score of 38 at near run-a-ball pace.
Bartlett was run out in the 17th over at 99/3, but Ashtuti Kumar (35 off 42) kept the momentum going after their 61-run stand together, CD eventually reaching 130 for five with quick late hits from Kate Gaging and Gemma Sims.
CD then bowled, caught and fielded well to keep Canterbury in check in the chase.
Harriet Graham was run out in the second over by Jess Ogden who had joined the squad following an injury to CD captain Monique Rees.
Ogden (2-16) then took care of the next two Canterbury wickets as well: two more cheap top order departures having the hosts 22 for three.
Next it was Kate Sims’s turn, picking up 2-12 with the middle order, including the wicket of Banks.
Kumar the returned a superb 3-6 off three overs, her first in the 12th over and two strikes in the space of three balls in the 14th to have Canterbury feeling the pressure at 58 for eight.
Not to be left out, Scoular (2-13) wrapped up the final two wickets and a 58-run win, with a full three overs to spare.
Auckland U19 beat Otago U19 by five wickets
Bert Sutcliffe Oval
Despite winning the toss and batting, Otago found themselves under pressure against Auckland at 18 for three before Bhagya Herath (22 off 17) and Megan Meltzer (a run-a-ball 31) steadied the ship.
After Jess Barker broke the stand, however, with Herath's big wicket, Barker went on to a superb 3-9 off her 3.5 overs to put Auckland back in control.
All out for 106 in the final over, Otago needed a good start with the ball bbut Auckland's openers put on 36 for the first wicket to get the chase off to a healthy start.
First drop Amie Hucker's unbeaten 29* then ensured the Aucklanders got home despite Herath fighting valiantly with the ball for a return of 4-16.
Northern Districts U19 beat Wellington U19 by two runs
Lincoln No.3
It was another nailbiter at Nationals after Wellington's tailenders were left in a scrambling hunt for the winning runs, only for two runouts in the last three balls of the match to seal victory for ND, who wrapped up the innings on the final delivery for a tight but thrilling win.
Earlier, ND had won the toss and put 118 for seven on the board, Holly Topp top-scoring with 23 in a team effort.
Wellington had lost four wickets by the halfway mark of their chase but were ahead of the require run rate before ND kept the pressure on with the ball and the wickets started to fall over, setting up the desperate and ultimately doomed finish at the death.
ROUND FIVE
Wellington U19 beat Otago U19 by six wickets
Lincoln Green
Otago batted first after winning the toss and after a 39-ball half century from Bhagya Herath at four, things were looking up for the southerners.
Herath's entertaining innings included five boundaries and a six, but her dismissal early in the penultimate over saw Wellington rattle through some quick wickets at the death without much further damage.
Xara Jetly cashed in with the ball to return 4-20 and a wicket on the final delivery saw Otago all out for 128.
Wellington then lost an early wicket in the chase, but the second-wicket pair got them going again to reach 33 for two before Otago removed the second opener.
Captain Beth Molony looked to emulate Herath from first drop with a key run-a-ball knock of 45 keeping her side in the hunt, until she fell at 100 for four at the three-quarters mark.
Jetly kept up the momentum with a run-a-ball unbeaten 26*, however, with support from Dani Brearton as Wellington chased down their target with seven balls to spare in a good contest.
Northern Districts U19 beat Canterbury U19 by seven wickets
Bert Sutcliffe Oval
Canterbury had made a great start to nationals in the one-dayers and still held the lead heading into the first T20.
Captain Missy Banks won the toss and batted, but ND chipped out regular wickets until Banks (33 off 23) and Jenna Waghorn (60* off 49) upped the run rate across the back half of the innings, getting Canterbury up to 128 for five.
ND's top order made a good start to the chase, the openers putting on 82 together before the first wicket fell just after the halfway mark.
Annie Ewart struck 28 at run-a-ball pace before she was stumped while aggressive Lucy Boucher had reached a half century, 53 off 39, including seven boundaries and a six before becoming the first to depart when she was caught and bowled, much to Canterbury's relief.
At 82/1, much of the work had already been done, however, allowing ND to cruise home with just over four overs to spare.
CD U19 beat Auckland U19 by three wickets
Lincoln No.3
CD had also lost the toss in their first game of the day, but being asked to field first by Auckland proved to be no disadvantage as CD restricted the Aucklanders to just 102 for six, the wickets shared around the attack and CD again producing a good fielding effort.
Margot Scoular (24) and Ocean Bartlett then put on 44 for the first wicket to get CD well underway in the chase, Central reaching their target seven wickets down but with seven balls to spare for an key three-wicket win that brought them within striking distance of the tournament lead.
