The women's Super Smash defending champions have gotten their title defence off to the perfect start with the Magicians fending off the Hearts in Auckland this evening.
Canterbury, without new signing Fatima Sana due to visa issues, claimed an 11-run victory over Auckland at the Eden Park Outer Oval with captain Frankie Mackay producing a crucial performance in a record-equaling outing.
Mackay now shares the Canterbury T20 record for most caps [105] with Amy Satterthwaite and marked the occasion with tidy figures of 2/19 off her four overs.
She also chipped in 22 runs off 22 balls opening the batting for her side but it was fellow opener Kate Anderson who top-scored on the day with 25 runs.
Those two contributions, along with 20 runs each from Natalie Cox and Jodie Dean saw Canterbury post 127 runs in the first innings after being sent in to bat.
Skye Bowden was the best of the Auckland bowlers with an impressive 4/18 from her four overs.
That left Auckland chasing 128 for the win and they got to work early with Gabby Sullivan picking up two wickets in the fourth over of the chase.
Auckland responded well though, with four of the players scoring 20 or more runs to stay in the hunt but each time Canterbury found the breakthrough they needed to stop the hosts from gaining any momentum.
Finally, Mackay sealed the win with some brilliant death-bowling.
Auckland needed 18 runs from the final six balls but instead produced two wickets as Mackay and her field shut up shop in Auckland.
It means this afternoon's double-header to open the season leaves the provinces with one win each after the Auckland men claimed a 28-run win earlier at the same venue.
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