A century from White Ferns batter Suzie Bates has led Otago Sparks to a 20-run victory over Northern Brave in the women's Twenty20 Super Smash in Queenstown.
The victory was the Sparks' first of the 2022/23 Super Smash season, coming at a vital time as Otago look to keep pace with the unbeaten pair of Wellington Blaze and Canterbury Magicians - both with two wins from their first two games.
Opening the batting, Bates finished with 101 not out of Otago's 165/3 - hitting eight fours and four sixes.
The innings was Bates' second Super Smash century, coming after an unbeaten 106 - also against Northern - in December 2019.
Bates found a valuable ally in Kate Ebrahim, who hit 52 off 39 balls with five fours and one six, as the pair added 128 runs together for the third wicket.
In reply, chasing 166 for victory, the Brave got off to a solid start through Caitlin Gurrey (21 off 16) as part of an opening stand worth 29 with Bernie Bezuidenhout.
However, when Gurrey was forced to retire hurt in the fourth over, Northern lost regular wickets to fall short in their chase - unable to capitalise on a start of 77/1 at the halfway stage.
Bezuidenhout top scored for the Brave with 41 off 30 balls before she was dismissed by Hayley Jensen (2/28), while Ebrahim took 2/27 as part of a fine all-round display.
All up, the Brave lost 7/73, limping to 145/7 to fall short by 20 runs after failing to hit 29 from the final over for victory.
The win sends the Sparks temporarily into third place on the Super Smash ladder, with one win and one defeat from their opening two matches. The Brave meanwhile are still winless from their first two games, sitting second to last courtesy of net run rate, ahead of only Central Hinds.
Otago Sparks 165/3 (Bates 101 not out, Ebrahim 52; Knight 1/12) Northern Brave 145/7 (Bezuidenhout 41; Ebrahim 2/27).
