Spirit duo in hunt for top run-scorer bragging rights

Published on 08 Jan 2019

Katie Gurrey and Bernadine Bezuidenhout will have the chance to finish the Burger King Super Smash campaign as the competition's leading run-scorer when they play their final match against the Canterbury Magicians tomorrow at Hagley Oval.

Gurrey currently sits first with 243 runs, while Bezuidenhout is in second with 211 runs.

Along with runs scored, they sit near the top of several other batting charts.

They have the second and third-highest scores in the competition respectively; Gurrey with a top score of 79 and Bezuidenhout 77 not out, while Gurrey has hit the most fours (44) and Bezuidenhout the second-highest number of sixes (4).

Spirit head coach Kari Carswell is obviously pleased to have two in-form players opening the innings for her side.

"Katie and Bernadine are both quality players, so seeing them among the top run-scorers isn't a surprise," said Carswell.

"Building momentum in our innings is so much easier when you can rely on at least one of your openers to produce a good score.

"Hopefully they both score big tomorrow and help us end our Super Smash campaign with a win," added Carswell.

The Spirit have made great strides in the second half of the season, adding a couple of wins to their solitary victory in the first half of the competition.

Tomorrow's match is the last of the double-headers for the Northern Districts sides, with the Knights taking on the Canterbury Kings after the Spirit match.

The sides find themselves at opposite ends of the ladder, with the Knights sitting in first and the Kings propping up the table in sixth.

The Knights have been able to rely on performances from the whole squad, with different players delivering in each match.

Both teams will be desperate for a win; the Knights to consolidate their position, and the Kings to ensure they are not cut adrift as the competition nears the halfway mark.

The Knights have got the better of the Canterbury Kings in recent times, winning three of the last four matches between the sides, but the Kings perform well at home, having only lost one of their last seven home matches.

SKYCITY HAMILTON NORTHERN SPIRIT BURGER KING SUPER SMASH SQUAD - ROUND TEN V CANTERBURY MAGICIANS - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019, 12.45pm, HAGLEY OVAL

Samantha Curtis (c)

Kate Anderson

Bernadine Bezuidenhout

Carolyn Esterhuizen

Katie Gurrey

Brooke Halliday

Mereana Hyde

Felicity Leydon-Davis

Lily Mulivai

Briana Perry

Eimear Richardson

Alisha Rout

KNIGHTS BURGER KING SUPER SMASH SQUAD - ROUND FIVE V CANTERBURY KINGS - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2019, 4.00pm, HAGLEY OVAL

Dean Brownlie (c)

Corey Anderson

Peter Bocock

Anton Devcich

Daniel Flynn

Brett Hampton

Chris Jordan

Scott Kuggeleijn

Daryl Mitchell

Tarun Nethula

Mitchell Santner

Neil Wagner