Source: Radio New Zealand
Georgie Plimmer and Jess Kerr celebrate Wellington’s Super Smash women’s title. © Photosport Ltd 2026 www.photosport.nz
Wellington Blaze have beaten Auckland Hearts to claim the Super Smash women’s crown in a nailbiting final in Christchurch.
The Blaze won their seventh title in the past nine years and closed off their second threepeat in that time.
Chasing 147 to win, they reached their target with a ball to spare, thanks to captain Jess Kerr, who hit 17 runs, including two sixes and a boundary, in the final over at Hagley Oval.
Kerr was unbeaten on 46, the hero of the five-wicket victory, as she orchestrated the late surge, after the innings faltered in the middle stages.
Opener Rebecca Burns hit an imperious 55 from 41 balls and put on 66 for the first wicket with Georgia Plimmer (28 from 27), before things went awry for a while.
The Hearts batted first and scored 146/5, with their top order all getting starts. Izzy Gaze and Brook Halliday both scored 31, and captain Maddy Green 29, while Xara Jetly took 2/27 for the Blaze.
Rebecca Burns bats for Wellington against Auckland Hearts. © Photosport Ltd 2026 www.photosport.nz
Burns and Plimmer got the Blaze off to a great start in their chase, but things slowed after their departures, with Jetly and Hannah Francis dismissed cheaply, and Kerr, batting at No 3, having trouble finding strike.
She and Jess McFadyen (11) combined to give them a chance in the latter stages, and were still together when they needed 16 off the final over from Halliday.
On their scoring rate up, it looked a few runs too many, but Kerr hit a six off the second ball, before McFadyen was run out trying for a second run off the third ball.
Kerr smacked another six and then hit a cover drive to the boundary to give the Blaze the win, as her teammates stormed the field.
Molly Penfold was the best of the Heart bowlers, with 2/14 off her four overs.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
