POOL A
Burnside High School v Epsom Girls’ Grammar School
Burnside; 103/9(Frances Mackay 41, Lucy Foote 20, Maddy Green 3-10, Roseanne Cox 2-9) lost to Epsom; 104/8(Maddy Green 37, Frances Mackay 2-11, Jessica Hastings 2-20)
This was a cliffhanger of a match. Epsom won the toss and put Burnside into bat on a greenish pitch in heavy overcast conditions. Although captain and opener Frances Mackay lead from the front with an accomplished 41, only Lucy Foote with 20, could support her in them reaching a total of 103/9 after their allotted 40 overs. The best of the Epsom bowlers were Maddy Green with three wickets and Roseanne Cox with two. In reply Epsom lost two quick wickets, but Maddy Green, who had a very good double, held them together with 37, until with six overs to go a rush of wickets required their tailenders to see them through to victory in the 39th over. Frances Mackay and Jessica Hastings both took two wickets.
Havelock North High School v Wellington Girls’ College
Wellington; 109/8(Rachel Chin 20, Wheturangi Charteris 31, Olivia Gregory 3-12, Amy Foster 2-11, Sanika Rangnekar 2-17) lost to Havelock; 111/3(Amy Foster 40*)
Havelock North won the toss and asked Wellington to bat. While they batted through their 40 overs only captain Rachel Chin [20] and Wheturangi Charteris [31] made sound contributions to their tally of 109/8. Havelock North bowlers all bowled tightly with three of them sharing most of the wickets – Amy Foster, Sanika Rangekar and Olivia Gregory. The batsmen of joint defending champions Havelock North, were untroubled in reaching the required target in the 22nd over with Amy Foster 40 not out – a very good captain’s double for her.
POOL B
Baradene College v New Plymouth Girls’ High School
Baradene; 53(Alexandra Hurley 32, Kate Broadmore 5-12, Brooke Sim 2-13, Megan Washington 2-21) lost to New Plymouth; 54/0(Kate Broadmore 21*, Kirsty Street 25*)
Baradene in their first final were up against New Plymouth who has won the five previous NZCT finals. New Plymouth won the toss and asked Baradene to bat. They were quickly in trouble against the very accurate New Plymouth attack, spearheaded by Central Districts’ Hinds bowler Kate Broadmore, who had the outstanding figures of 5/12. She was well supported by Megan Washington and captain Brooke Sim who both captured two wickets. Only Alexandra Hurley, with a resolute 32, stood out in their team score of 53 made in 21 overs. New Plymouth made short work of scoring the runs with Kate Broadmore, in the action again, and Kirsty Street knocking off the runs without the loss of a wicket.
Waikato Diocesan School v St Hilda’s Collegiate
Waikato; 259/7(Natalie Dodd 94, Holly Patterson 35, Imogen Weir 2-58) beat St Hilda's; 113(Amelia Weir 26, Hannah Beatson 4-6, Natalie Dodd 2-21, Sunita McPhee 2-28)
St Hilda’s won the toss and decided, in their first ever game in the finals, to put Waikato in to bat. The latter relished the opportunity, and lead by an outstanding innings of 94 by Natalie Dodd, amassed a huge score of 259/7. Holly Patterson also made 35. Best of the St Hilda’s bowlers was Imogen Weir with 2/58. Faced with such a daunting total St Hilda’s lost wickets regularly, but did manage to bat through to the 35th over, when they were all out for 113. Amelia Weir top scored with 26. Medium pacer and captain Hannah Beatson had impressive figures of 4/6, while Natalie Dodd, backing up her batting effort, and Sunita McPhee each took two wickets.
