Winning Central Stags, Hinds hit Taranaki

Margot Butcher

After exciting wins in Palmerston North yesterday, the Central Stags and Hinds have travelled to New Plymouth for two more big rounds of T20 cricket, hosting the Auckland Aces and Hearts tomorrow (Friday 29 December) and Canterbury Kings and Magicians on Saturday, 30 December at world-famous Pukekura Park.

Early leaders the Hinds head into tomorrow’s match as the only unbeaten team in the women’s league after two rounds, top of the national table after having closed out away and home last-over victories against Northern Brave in their head-turning first week of action.

The Stags meanwhile bounced back from a heavy opening round defeat in Hamilton to win big - by 56 runs - in Palmerston North yesterday.

Doug Bracewell thrilled the big crowd with a pure, clean-hitting showcase that saw him notch a career-best unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls.

Miserly left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox then picked up his T20 career best for the second match in a row, this time with a tight haul of 4/15 off his four overs and a much-needed win for the team to show for it.

Both squads have been expanded from 12 to 13 for the two days’ entertainment in Taranaki, hard-hitting batter Bayley Wiggins - a player with a strong white-ball record at the ground - brought in to add options to the Stags squad, while experienced New Zealand-based Scotland international and Nelson representative Priyanaz Chatterji comes into the Hinds group for the first time this season, having debuted for the team last summer.

Both teams are training outdoors this afternoon with the Hinds scheduled to begin at 12.30pm on both days. Gates open at 11.30am, the Stags to follow with their match at 4pm, and tickets to all games available at www.cdcricket.co.nz

All T20s are also live on free to air TVNZ+ / TVNZ Duke, with livescoring at www.cdcricket.co.nz

DREAM11 SUPER SMASH 

ROUNDS 3 & 4

PUKEKURA PARK, NEW PLYMOUTH

v Auckland Hearts & Aces

29 December 2023

v Auckland Magicians & Kings

30 December 2023

12.30PM • Central Hinds 

4.00PM • Central Stags 

Gates open at 11.30AM

CENTRAL HINDS

Natalie Dodd — captain, wicketkeeper, Taranaki

Hannah Rowe — vice-captain, Manawatū 

Hollie Armitage — Overseas Player

Georgia Atkinson — Manawatū 

Priyanaz Chatterji — (Nelson) Overseas Player

Flora Devonshire — Hawke’s Bay

Claudia Green — Nelson

Mikaela Greig  — Manawatū 

Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatū

Emma McLeod  (uncapped) — Wairarapa

Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay

Thamsyn Newton — Hawke’s Bay

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

• Head Coach — Jacob Oram

• Assistant Coach — Deepak Joon

CENTRAL STAGS

Tom Bruce* — captain, Taranaki

Dane Cleaver — vice-captain, wicketkeeper, Manawatū

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Will Clark — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Liam Dudding — Hawke’s Bay

Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Ajaz Patel — Hawke’s Bay

Bevan Small — Manawatū 

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Will Young — Taranaki

Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay

• Head Coach —  Ben F. Smith

• Assistant Coach — Glenn Pocknall

Contracted players unavailable for selection

Brett Randell - injury

Auckland Aces and Hearts squads:

Hearts

Maddy Green (c)

Bella Armstrong

Anna Browning

Skye Bowden

Prue Catton

Izzy Gaze (w)

Amie Hucker

Bree Illing

Fran Jonas

Cate Pedersen

Josie Penfold

Molly Penfold

Saachi Shahri

Aces

Robbie O’Donnell (c)

Adi Ashok

Cole Briggs

Louie Delport

Danru Ferns

Cam Fletcher (w)

Martin Guptill

Ryan Harrison

Ben Lister

Jock McKenzie

Will O’Donnell

Nikith Perera

Sean Solia

The Canterbury squads will be named by noon tomorrow.