The Canterbury Magicians have been handed their first defeat of this season’s domestic one-day competition thanks to the stunning exploits of Wellington Blaze 14-year-old Kate Chandler.
In their round five Hallyburton Johnstone Shield match at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Saturday, the top of the table Cantabs were hammered by eight wickets after being skittled for 155.
That was chiefly thanks to leg-spinner Chandler snaring 5-41 off 9.1 overs, as the hosts collapsed from 117-4 at the 34-over mark, to be all out in 46.1 after being sent in.
Chandler, who only turned 14 last month, was playing just her fourth domestic List A game and quickly bettered her previous best of 3-39, which came in her last outing, against the Central Hinds earlier this month.
After earlier taking the catch to dismiss Amy Satterthwaite – one of several White Ferns returning to action following a stint of managed isolation – Chandler was the sixth bowler used by Blaze skipper Thamsyn Newton. And after wicketless overs in the 22nd, 24th and 33rd, there wasn’t much sign of things to come from the youngster.
