Watkin is the master blaster

MASTER BLASTER: Jessica Watkin scored an amazing double century off 123 balls against Wellington Under 21 in Auckland yesterday.

Jessica Watkin's brilliant form at the NZC National Women's Under-21 tournament in Auckland has continued with bat and ball as she led her Central Districts team two more victories over Otago and Wellington.

On Saturday at Lloyd Elsmore Park, skipper Watkin took 4-19 from 9.5 overs of spin as she cleaned up the tail for her side to beat Otago by 119 runs.

Watkin only made 10 with the bat at No3, but the other top order batters in Taranaki's Monique Rees (45) and Hawke's Bay's Rosemary Mair (75) had the key partnership, with Mair then batting on with the tail, to raise 219 before being dismissed in the 44th over.

In reply, Otago were bowled out for 100, with Watkin getting two wickets in the fourth over to really set them on the back foot.

Wairarapa's Georgia Atkinson (3-18) was the other main destroyer, while Mair and Manawatu's Olivia West also picked up scalps.

But Watkin would eclipse that effort yesterday as she wrecked the Wellington bowlers with an extraordinary 200 runs from just 123 balls, with Central Districts dismissed with two deliveries left in the innings for 344.

Coming in at 1-1 in the second over, Watkin's 166 minutes of fury saw her smash 11 sixes and 20 boundaries, being the dominant partner with most of her team mates, with the best support coming from Mair (47), Hawke's Bay's Sophie Pyott (18), Wairarapa's Gemma Sims (16) and Nelson's Claudia Green (15).

Never really in the chase, Wellington lost by 176 runs, being dismissed for 168 in the 40th over with Watkin again taking the last wicket.

She finished with figures of 3-35 from 9.3 overs and was also involved in securing a run out, all of which must make Watkin the current front runner for tournament MVP.

Atkinson took 2-29 while Mair, Rees, Green and Taranaki's Taila Hurley also picked up a scalp each.

Central District's now have a break today, before they face home team Auckland tomorrow and finish with Northern Districts on Wednesday.

By Jared Smith
Wanganui Chronicle 18/12/17