Alexandra teenager Hannah O’Connor has made the Otago Sparks cricket team - following in the footsteps of her older brother Thomas and former Black Cap Shayne.

She’ll also be wearing the number 28 shirt just like they did as well: Thomas (21) debuted for the Volts at Molyneux Park last summer, and Shayne represented New Zealand between 1997 and 2001.

Otago Cricket confirmed the full squad for the Otago Sparks this week, ahead of the 2025/26 season, with O’Connor, Saffron Wilson and Harriet Cuttance all given new contracts.

With veteran pace bowler Hayley Jensen announcing her retirement in May and Molly Loe moving to Canterbury, Hannah knew there was an opportunity opening up in the team.

“I definitely got my hopes up.”

She’s been training with the Sparks already for the past two seasons as an up and coming cricketer through the Otago A programme.

When she received the call to have a meeting with the coach, she suspected it might be good news, and her dad was the first one she told when the contract was confirmed.

“He was so stoked for me,” she said.

Hannah, a right arm pace bowler, represented New Zealand Under-19 at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia last year.

She also won women’s bowler of the year in Under-19 at the Otago Cricket Awards in 2024.

Hannah knows there will be a lot of work ahead of her, and said getting a contract didn’t guarantee making the starting line up in each game.

The Otago Polytechnic business and marketing student was looking forward to the season, hoping she will get the chance to take the pitch at Molyneux Park, like her brother did, in front of the home crowd.

Otago cricket fans will be keeping an eye out for the number 28 shirt when the Volts and Sparks are in Alexandra for Super Smash events on December 27, 29 and 31.

“I’ve grown a lot stronger and faster over the past year and I’m hoping to have that selection conversation,” Hannah said.

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