Canterbury's women's XI triumphed in a dramatic climax to their State League match with Wellington at the Village Green today.

Wellington lost their last eight wickets for 29 in less than 10 overs as they panicked when an easy win was in sight.

Batting like they had a plane to catch, which they had, the 5.45pm to Dunedin for their next game tomorrow, Wellington's middle order slogged their way to defeat as Canterbury's fielding and bowling grew in confidence as the game went on.

The start was delayed until 12.40pm due to rain which had kept play yesterday to just 17.4 overs (Wellington 53/3) as the groundsmen took off the covers nearly 30 times whilst the storms came and went. Today's flight booking further reduced the overs available to 33 per team.

Having set Wellington just 122 to win after being put in today, Canterbury seemed out of it when Wellington's openers Anna O'Leary and Megan Wakefield powered to 45 in 68 balls before Wakefield was out.

It wasn't until until mid-innings, when 19-year-old all-rounder Beth McNeill came on to bowl a frustrating spell of seven overs, one for 12, that Canterbury even began to get into the game.

McNeill told CricInfo, "It was staying low a little bit for the bowlers and the pitch had a bit in it."

"I think the turning point was getting the top two out, Maia Lewis and Anna O'Leary, then just containing and giving them good balls; they seemed to throw their wickets away."

McNeill was playing her first full game for Canterbury after being an Otago draft player for the last two seasons. It was her 26 not out off 37 balls that gave Canterbury's bowlers something to aim at after some poor batting sent Canterbury to 75/7 with 10 overs left, having been put in by Wellington captain O'Leary.

From 33/0, Canterbury lost wickets regularly as Wellington's Amanda Cooper (two for eight) and Wakefield (two for 26) in particular made the ball move around off the pitch.

Only McNeill and Haidee Tiffen (18) were able to break the infield steadily, as Canterbury hit just two boundaries in their 33 overs. Top scorer was extras with 36, including 23 wides.

In contrast Wellington's O'Leary and Wakefield hit three fours within the first four overs, and a bonus point for a finish inside 25 overs looked on.

But then Wakefield was caught behind off Nicola Payne having hit the previous delivery for six.

McNeill and Maria Fahey (two for 17 off five overs) began to disconcert the impatient Wellington middle order and when wicket-keeper Sarah Hill top-edged a full toss into her face and retired hurt, the Wellington Blaze's misfortune was almost complete.

Finally, and tellingly, Tiffen came back to give Canterbury the four points by showing Wellington the virtues of bowling straight, hitting Amanda Green's stumps and trapping Asmita Rama lbw as she attempted a levelling swing in the penultimate over.

© CricInfo