Central Hinds, CD A Squads Named For Big Weekend At Home

A big weekend at home looms for both the Central Hinds and Central Districts A women's squads, in Palmerston North and Levin respectively.

Both teams are looking to put an exclamation mark on their 2022/23 season.

The Hinds play their last two Hallyburton Johnstone Shield matches of the regular season against top qualifier Wellington Blaze at Fitzherbert Park, the Hinds having climbed to third spot on the national ladder after strong performances in their previous three rounds.

The Hinds will need not only to beat the Blaze, but hope that the Otago Sparks can stop the Canterbury Magicians from gathering more points in Queenstown, in order for the Hinds to squeak into the national one-day Grand Final in early March.

Tomorrow's ninth-round Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-dayer between the Central Hinds and Wellington Blaze is a special one for both teams, with the Viv Stephens Memorial Trophy on the line for the season.

Stephens was a Life Member and longserving board member for Central Districts Cricket, and a driving force behind the Hinds, both as the team’s first captain and later as an administrator, before she passed away in late 2021.

Stephens also proudly represented New Zealand, and the trophy in her memory goes on the line in the first one-day match of each season between the Hinds and Blaze. The trophy was shared by both teams last season after a washout at the Cello Basin Reserve.

Saturday's match is also set to be star seamer Rosemary Mair's 50th cap match for Hinds in List A one-day cricket, with the Hawke’s Bay bowler also poised to collect her 50th List A wicket, heading in with 49 victims.

The first ball is scheduled for 10.30am on both days at Fitzherbert Park, with livescores and free livestream at www.cdcricket.co.nz and on the NZC app.

Central Districts A meanwhile hosts Northern Districts A at Donnelly Park in both formats this weekend, CD A coach BJ Barnett having named another strong squad.

The women's A team has been one of the big success stories from the 2022/23 season, after having been brought back into existence this summer for the first time in many years.

The side has been unbeaten heading into the free admission, Saturday afternoon T20 and Sunday's 50-over match against Northern Districts A - a team they defeated earlier this season in their Hamilton fixtures.

Sophie Pyott again leads the side, with all bar four players in the twelve already capped for the Hinds.

Livescoring for these fixtures will be available at www.nzc.nz

HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD

Rounds 9 and 10, 2022/23

CENTRAL HINDS v WELLINGTON BLAZE

Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

10.30am • Saturday 25 Febuary 2023 • Viv Stephens Memorial Trophy match

10.30am • Sunday 26 Febuary 2023

CENTRAL HINDS SQUAD

Natalie Dodd – captain and wicketkeeper, Taranaki

Jess Watkin – vice-captain, Manawatu

Georgia Atkinson – Manawatu

Ocean Bartlett – Wairarapa

Flora Devonshire – Hawke's Bay

Claudia Green – Nelson

Mikaela Greig – Manawatu

Melissa Hansen – Wairarapa

Ashtuti Kumar – Manawatu

Emma McLeod – Wairarapa

Rosemary Mair – Hawke's Bay

Kerry Tomlinson – Hawke’s Bay

Head Coach: Jamie Watkins

Follow the campaign with hashtags: #hbjshield #centralhinds

Contracted players unavailable for selection

Hannah Rowe (WHITE FERNS)

POINTS TABLE

CD A WOMEN v NORTHERN DISTRICTS A

Donnelly Park, Levin

T20 • 1.30pm Saturday, 25 February 2023

50 OVERS • 9.30am Sunday, 26 February 2023

CD A WOMEN SQUAD

Sophie Pyott – captain, Hawke's Bay

Aniela Apperley – Hawke's Bay

Priyanaz Chatterji – Nelson

Elizabeth Cohr – Wairarapa

Emily Cunningham – Taranaki

Kate Gaging – Nelson

Cate Pedersen – Hawke's Bay

Sam Mackinder – Manawatu

Jessica Ogden – Manawatu

Monique Rees – Nelson

Gemma Sims – Wairarapa

Abby Treder – Manawatu

Head Coach: BJ Barnett

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