Womens Cricket

Women's cricket in South Canterbury continues to maintain playing levels. Contributing to this hopefully in the future will be the increasing number of girls exposed to cricket through the Milo Shield primary school competitions.

This year a change in the points systems, and the allowance for batsmen to go back in if a side was all out was a resounding success.

Season Review: [ 2007 -2008 ]

Quick Links - Aotea Cup Matches: [Southland] [Central Otago] [Central Otago II] [U15 Girls]

Previous Seasons Reports - [Archives]

Senior Representative Women

SC women save best for last with win against Southland

The South Canterbury women's cricket team saved their best for last, when they came up against the previously unbeaten Southland side.

Southland won the toss and elected to bat on the hard and fast Aorangi Oval and soon hit their straps with Otago Spark Megan Kane hitting the ball to all parts of the park.

She was especially savage on Amber Boyce whose first five overs went for 50 runs.

At the other end, after a wayward first over, Hannah Linton showed that if the ball was kept up to the batsmen, runs became scarce.

Kane was eventually run out with her score on 50.

When Libby Stuck and Grace Kerridge were introduced to the attack wickets came at regular intervals and with the aid of good fielding and some excellent wicket keeping by Megan Linton the scoring slowed from eight an over to about three an over.

Rowan Milburn - New Zealand wicketkeeper and South Canterbury rep player. Rowan Milburn, better known for her wicket keeping skills, really put the icing on the cake with an eight over spell costing only 20 runs.

After the mandatory 40 over's Southland finished at 168 for eight.

South Canterbury's run chase began at better than a run a ball and at the fall of the first wicket (45) they were well on the way to a convincing win especially with Boyce and Milburn hitting the ball into the gaps, with boundaries coming at regular intervals.

Boyce departed on 54 and with South Canterbury's total at 125, Lisa Grant carried on with Milburn to take South Canterbury through to a convincing win finishing at 180 for two after 22 overs.

This is South Canterbury's last game in the Aotea Cup campaign this season and although they did not emulate the last two seasons by winning the competition, the team as a whole played some very good cricket.

SC women collect good cup win over Central

South Canterbury women's cricket team travelled to Alexandra on Sunday to play Central Otago in round four of the Aotea Cup competition, collecting an impressive victory.

Winning the toss, South Canterbury elected to bowl first on a very green wicket and had early success with two wickets with only 15 runs on the board.

This brought White Fern Sarah Tsukigawa (78) to the wicket. She soon hit her straps and kept most of the strike, keeping the score going at more than four an over. Her partnership with A Miller (21) was instrumental in Central getting through to 171.

Bowling for South Canterbury Hannah Linton (3-16) and Roncalli school teacher Amber Boyce (4-19) kept the Central Otago batters honest.

The fielding by the South Canterbury team was of a high standard, with the catch by young Chloe Austin to dismiss Tsukigawa the turning of the game, making sure that South Canterbury were not going to face a large total when it came their turn to bat. They were left to chase down 171.

With the early loss of a wicket, Lisa Grant (21), Boyce started to hit the ball into the gaps, keeping the score moving at more than five an over. When Grant was dismissed in what seemed a dubious decision, Millisa O'Brien joined Boyce in keeping the score moving at more than an acceptable rate.

When Boyce (62) was dismissed by a good catch on the boundary Megan Linton came and went early. Younger sister Hanagh joined a rather subdued O'Brien to take the game away from Central.

Linton finished on 41 not out with O'Brien (13no).

Coach Richard Davidson said that all players contributed to the win. The test will come next weekend when they play Dunedin, but are looking forward to having the services of Janet Brehaut and Rowan Milburn, he said.

Win over Central restores some pride

After a disappointing loss to Southland last weekend in Gore, the South Canterbury senior women's cricket team got their campaign back on track with a convincing win over Central Otago on Sunday played at Aorangi 2.

Losing the toss South Canterbury were put into bat and were soon in early trouble with both Bridget McMaster and the grand mother of the team, Libby Stuck back in the pavilion having not really troubled the scorers.

Two wickets down for the only 10 runs soon became seven for 188 with small contributions from all the batters including young Rosie Miller (11), who at club level is having a wonderful season. Lisa Grant played very patiently in scoring her 89 no.

Her first 50 took 30 overs and the next 39 runs came off only 20 balls. She found an excellent partner in Mellisa O'Brien (16no) who held up an end and feed strike to Grant in the final overs. South Canterbury's innings end on 228/7 including extras contributing 80.

Central Otago's run chase got of to a slow start with both Stuck and Grant bowling good lines. A steady stream of batters came and went with all the South Canterbury bowlers having success at some stage.

Sarah Fahey (3-46 off 7) was the most successful and Mum (Jess Bailey) also bowled well. Central Otago were finally dismissed for 120 in the 30th over. Next week South Canterbury play Dunedin in round three of the Aotea Cup competition at Aorangi.

U15 Girls Tournament Results 2007

Good experience for u-15s

A young and inexperienced South Canterbury side took on the regional girls under-15 cricket tournament at School Park in Timaru this week.

Hannah Linton, in her second tournament led with much enthusiasm.

First up they played Canterbury Red, who made a disastrous start losing wickets to the first two balls delivered by Bailey Weston.

They recovered to make 218, with Hayley Jenson scoring 112 no.

Wides and no balls contributed 29 runs.

For South Canterbury Weston took 2-43 and Linton 3-29.

In reply South Caterbury were never in the hunt and were dismissed for 83, only Hannah Struthers (28) and Linton (11) getting into double figures.

On the second day Canterbury Country batted first and made 160 for five thanks to a 134-run opening partnership.

Again South Canterbury never really challenged the total and were dismissed for 80, with Struthers making 23

In the final match they came up against the eventual winners Canterbury Black.

Changing their batting order Black looked to be in trouble at 101 for eight but the last two wickets added 80 runs to total 184.

Bowling for South Canterbury Linton took 3-22, Struthers 2-32 and Georgie Hewson 2-50.

South Caterbury got off to a poor start and were in trouble at 14-2 but a good partnership between Struthers and Megan Linton put some respectability into the score and South Caterbury were out for 101.

South Canterbury were not successful but the experience the girls gained from playing good opposition will give them confidence to play some positive cricket in the future. Many of this team will be back next year.

The South Canterbury squad was: Hannah Linton (C), Rosie Miller, Georgie Hewson, Hannah Struthers, Bailey Weston, Vicki McMaster, Alex McLean, Jo Johnston, Cathy Gaffeney, Charlotte Fraser, Nina Low, Megan Linton, Laura Rogers.