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Auckland Hearts captain Lauren Down made 75 on Sunday as her side beat the Canterbury Magicians to set up a rematch in next Sunday’s final.
The Auckland Hearts will host the Canterbury Magicians in the final of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-day competition after beating them on Sunday, despite finishing behind them on the ladder. With Hagley Oval hosting a Black Caps’ ODI against Bangladesh next Tuesday and the Canterbury men in action in the Plunket Shield in Rangiora, the Magicians have given up hosting rights for the decider, which will take place next Sunday at Eden Park Outer Oval, the same venue where the teams met twice this weekend.
Spirit captain Brooke Halliday led the way for her side with 34 off 40, but she had little in the way of support and her side floundered after she was stumped by Tariel Lamb off the bowling of Jonas. Eimear Richardson tried to give them some impetus, but was caught by Regina Lili i for 18 off 10 off the bowling of Kelly, while Katie Gurrey had been Halliday’s first major partner, before she was dismissed the same way off the bowling of Jonas for 18 off 29. The Hearts were always going to be the favourites chasing less than six runs per over and while Halliday took 2-22 from her four overs they were barely troubled.
Holly Huddleston took her total for the season to four points after a strong performance for the Auckland Hearts on Monday, where she scored 18 off 16 balls, then took 3-8 off 3.2 overs as they beat the Canterbury Magicians. In the men’s competition, Allen went clear at the top, but is being marked closely by Central Stags opener George Worker. The Firebirds opener smashed 75 off 39 balls as they beat the Northern Knights on Saturday – his third fifty in five outings – to claim his third three-point haul of the season. Worker claimed three points of his own on Friday, when he scored his maiden T20 century, 106 off 58 balls, as the Stags beat the Otago Volts.