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Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
Anna Peterson hit to make sure the Auckland Hearts had a winning goal on Alexandra (file photo).
After a first-ball duck to open the Twenty20 Super Smash season, Anna Peterson fixed things with a powerful winning shot for the Auckland Hearts at Alexandra on Monday.
The experienced spinning bowler smashed 68 of 50 balls over the top to set a Hearts total of 156-3, which turned out to be enough against Otago Sparks.
In his first outing of the competition, Sparks, third-ranked last year, could only hit 119 in response when the Hearts opened their account with a 37-run win at Molyneux Park.
Peterson was fired lbw first ball to a full pitch in the Basin Reserve on December 24 when Wellington Blaze scored a nine wicket victory in the final big rematch.
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This time Peterson saw it very early, hitting nine fours and six when she and Katie Perkins (25 of 24) added 74 of eight overs for the second wicket.
Peterson was finally stumped by White Fern Katey Martin in the 15th as the Hearts posted a competitive but not unbeatable total.
They needed early terrain and their White Ferns closer, Holly Huddleston, proportionate as the Sparks never got going without their SUV Suzie Bates.
David Joseph / Phototek
Auckland Hearts bowler Holly Huddleston took crucial terrain from Otago (file photo).
Huddleston caught the two prized grounds of his international teammates Martin, who meekly cut the second ball, and Hayley Jensen (12) who was caught by Perkins. Huddleston finished all four of his overs at 2-17, while new ballmate Arlene Kelly cleaned it up at the end, going 3-24.
Otago’s Polly Inglis, who returned from a season in England, hit 62 of 61 balls on top, but had very little support after the bigwigs left.
The Sparks were fired from the penultimate installment and are due to regroup Tuesday when they host the Canterbury Magicians at the same venue.
Take a look
At Molyneux Park, Alexandra: Auckland Hearts 156-3 of 20 overs (Anna Peterson 68, Katie Perkins 25) beat Sparks of Otago 119 of 19.5 overs (Polly Inglis 62; Arlene Kelly 3-24, Holly Huddleston 2-17, Jesse Prasad 2-19) for 37 runs.
MVP points stuff: 3 Anna Peterson, 2 Holly Huddleston, 1 Arlene Kelly.
