• Central Hinds look to continue hot start

Central Hinds look to continue hot start

Unbeaten and early leaders on the national Hallyburton Johnstone Shield table, the Central Hinds cricketers  have named an unchanged squad for their third and fourth one-dayers as they look to extinguish Wellington Blaze in Levin this weekend.
 
The Hinds have made a brilliant start to their 50-over campaign, following up a seven-wicket win over the Auckland Hearts with a 10-wicket win over the defending champions as they seek to reclaim the title they won in 2019.
 
The squad is still without the services of WHITE FERNS opening bowler Rosemary Mair who remains in managed isolation after returning from Australia, but takes a bowling attack in hot form to Levin’s Donnelly Park where the only curve ball may be the weather.
 
The team will be hoping for luck on that front with two key player milestones in store. Manawatu allrounder Mikaela Greig chalked up her 50th List A match at the end of last summer and, with three appearances for the Netherlands in that mix, Greig is now poised to play her 50th one-day game for the Hinds this weekend.
 
Wairarapa allrounder Melissa Hansen meanwhile heads into the weekend sitting on 48 one-day caps for the Hinds, set to raise her half century on Sunday should the weather behave in both games.
 


Coming off a career-best performance with 4-20 in the opening round at New Plymouth, Nelson pace bowler Claudia Green says the team is in an exciting position, and Hinds players continued to shine in last weekend’s inaugural Central Super League one-dayers which saw standout individual performances from the likes of spinning allrounder Georgia Atkinson.
 
For Green, off-season work on her point of release and all-round strength and conditioning produced instant results.
 
“I’ve been putting in the hard work over winter, and I was stoked to be back out there with the girls so it was great way to start the season,” she said.
 
“That was the first time I’d played in a match that finished before lunch, let alone two matches like that. We didn’t want to get complacent as a bowling unit — we knew the Hearts were capable of fighting back so it was really pleasing to see our attack keep that pressure on.”
 
With key support from Monique Rees, Hannah Rowe and Jess Watkin, Green narrowly missed out on a maiden five-wicket bag after having opened the first round attack with Rowe, in Mair’s stead.
 
“It was a great experience opening up with Rowey. 
 
"She started so strong with that lean first spell, it was just awesome watching her bowl like that. She opened with a maiden over and got us in the game nice and early, and I just wanted to follow her example and keep the pressure on."
 
The Central Stags will also be in action at home in their one-day campaign this Sunday and Tuesday at Palmerston North’s Fitzherbert Park in The Ford Trophy, also against Wellington.
 
Admission to all Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and Ford Trophy matches is free this summer.
 
HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
 
Central Hinds v Wellington Blaze
Donnelly Park, Levin
 
Round Three | 10am Saturday 5 December 2020 
Round Four | 10am Sunday 6 December 2020 
Free admission
 
Anlo van Deventer (captain — Wairarapa)
Hannah Rowe (vice-captain — Manawatu)
Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu
Emily Cunningham — Taranaki
Natalie Dodd — Taranaki
Claudia Green — Nelson
Mikaela Greig — Manawatu
Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa
Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatu
Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay
Monique Rees — Wairarapa
Jess Watkin — Manawatu
 
Coach: Jamie Watkins
Unavailable: Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay (MIQ)