At 14 years, one month and 17 days old, Kate Chandler has a maiden List A five-wicket bag.
In just her third appearance for Wellington Blaze, the schoolgirl leg-spinner with three wickets from her first two matches ripped out 5-41 off just 9.1 overs - including current/former WHITE FERNS pair Lea Tahuhu and Kate Ebrahim who fell in space of four balls in the 35th over as the teenager's star turn began in her second spell.
Chandler's haul was the 14th best in Blaze history and ensured the Wellingtonians dismissed their Hagley hosts for just 155 in 46.1 overs thanks to a stunning performance that had included stopping the dangerous Ebrahim on Canterbury's top score of 48.
Wicketkeeper Jess McFadyen (above) meanwhile continued her strong season with four catches and a stumping in the innings, one of the top five wicketkeeping performances in Wellington Blaze List A cricket history. Two of those dismissals came off Chandler as the rest of the Blaze attack kept things tight to create the pressure.
McFadyen also pouched her 50th dismissal during the innings, then sat back and watched openers Rebecca Burns and Caitlin King (below) make a good start to the chase.
The pair put on 49 before Gabby Sullivan made the first breakthrough, bringing in Thamsyn Newton at three.
Blaze needed little more than a run per over, and King and Newton were walking it home.
Newton reached her half century off 49 balls, with 40 runs in boundaries; King followed when just four more runs were required for the win, her half ton off 83 balls.
Frankie Mackay removed Newton on 61 - ending the 104-run stand for the second wicket, but the result was inescapable.
Next over, the upset was complete, Blaze claiming their first bonus point of the comp while leaders the Magicians went down with a thud in their first loss of the season. King, who hit the winning run, was unbeaten on 53*.
The two sides meet again tomorrow (Sunday) in Round Six at Hagley Oval.
Article added: Saturday 19 December 2020
