Hearts lose title in last ball thriller

Monday, 14 January 2013

The Auckland Hearts lost their one day title in the cruellest way possible yesterday with a one wicket loss off the last ball of the game to the Canterbury Magicians.

The Magicians had been cruising heading into the last over needing three to win with four wickets in hand but some great bowling from Megan Tremaine and some hapless running between the wickets meant that their number eleven Hana Mauafu strode out to the crease to face the last ball with Canterbury needing two for victory.

Unfortunately for the Hearts that last ball was guided wide of cover for the two runs required and the Magicians had the title that the Hearts won off them last season.

Up until the final overs when the Hearts clawed their way back into the game the Magicians had compiled a controlled and well-paced run chase in pursuit of Auckland's 191.

They put together a solid opening partnership thanks to Frances Mackay and Meg Kendal and despite both of them departing within 10 runs of each other Amy Sattherthwaite carried on the good work to put them in a position to win the game.

The Hearts never gave up though and they chipped away with crucial wickets as the Magicians neared their target. Georgia Guy and Paula Gruber kept the middle of the innings under control and as the overs counted down the nerves in the Canterbury batting began to heighten.

A great catch from Katie Perkins helped to dismiss Erin Bermingham in the final over which was followed by a suicidal run-out next ball to see the end of Tahuhu. Tremaine then picked up an lbw on the second to last ball of the game to get rid of Cox and set up the grandstand finish which didn't go the Hearts way.

However the damage in some ways had been done earlier as the Hearts failed to bat out their full 50 overs.

A solid but slow start from openers Victoria Lind (46) and Samantha Curtis (40) put the Hearts in a position where they could push on in the last 20 overs to a score in excess of 200.

However once Lind and Curtis departed most of the batting line-up struggled to establish themselves and help the Hearts to the score they were after. Katie Perkins contributed a useful 27 off 36 but the lower order faded away and meant that the Hearts were dismissed with nine balls remaining in their innings.

Full scorecard