2022/23 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
Round 6
Saturday, 4 February 2023
Seddon Park, Hamilton
NORTHERN DISTRICTS lost to CENTRAL HINDS by 6 wickets
Points this round: ND 0, Hinds 5
Selected milestones
Ocean Bartlett - List A debut
Sam Mackinder - List A debut and Central Hinds debut
All images: MBUTCHER
It was a winning weekend in Waikato for the Central Hinds who followed up Friday's Dream11 Super Smash win - their first and only T20 victory of a tough season - with a convincing one-day victory against Northern Districts.
The Hinds picked up a much-needed bonus point to reignite their Hallyburton Johnstone Shield season, after having dismissed their hosts for just 99.
With two young debutantes - allrounder Ocean Bartlett (below) finally picking up her first one-day cap after two years of T20 cricket, the Hinds then went to lunch with much of their own chase already ticked off.
The short match will have been a blessing in the high humidity and sticky heat, in conditions that were still slow and required respect after the week's heavy rainfall.
Bartlett debuted alongside Sam Mackinder, the former picking up her maiden Hallyburton Johnstone Shield wicket with just her second delivery when she had Eve Wolland caught at 59/7.
She went on to 3-23 off her six overs as ND was rolled in just the 26th over, and had had a hand early in the game with a runout from the deep securing the first breakthough.
Rosemary Mair took a wrecking ball to ND's top order as she struck twice in her second over of the day, finishing with 2-18 off five, and Jess Watkin provided exactly the same return, including a big caught and bowled opportunity from dangerous opener Sam Barriball.
Carol Agafili fought hard down the order to give her side something to bowl at, hitting three boundaries in her top score of 27. She was stopped by a terrific catch from Emily Cunningham to give Bartlett her second wicket.
But with the composed Hinds cruising to 83/2 by lunch, Northern was in a hopeless situation, even after they picked up a couple more strikes in the final stanzas. Hinds captain Natalie Dodd batted throughout the chase, making it look easier than the conditions suggested as she waited to pick off the bad balls.
With all the time in the world, the Hinds could afford to.
