The Central Hinds are in the box seat, but nothing much else is certain heading into today’s penultimate round of the national one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in Auckland, Waikato and Palmerston North, from 10.30am.
Defending champions the Auckland Hearts have already qualified for the 9 March Grand Final, which was reintroduced this season, but the Hinds will be hoping the Hearts meanwhile keep up their winning ways against chasers Wellington Blaze in two pivotal clashes between the city teams at Auckland’s Colin Maiden Park this weekend as the round robin phase reaches a fascinating conclusion.
Regina Lili'i steps up to lead the Hearts this weekend. PHOTOSPORT
Only the top two sides proceed to the Grand Final and, with a maximum five points (including one bonus point) available per round, the Hinds, in second spot, have headed into the last weekend with a useful, albeit not insurmountable five-point lead over hot-running Blaze in third.
Unless the Hinds can extingush their hopes, Blaze remains a threat. PHOTOSPORT
The only team to have defeated the Hearts this season, the well performed Hinds should be going in confident against a young Otago Sparks side who are away to them in Palmerston North. However, they must do the job without their own frontline stars in Hannah Rowe and Rosemary Mair, the usual opening attack absent on WHITE FERNS duty in Australia along with influential Sparks trio Leigh Kasperek, Suzie Bates and Katey Martin.
The Sparks have named two potential debutantes in their side in 15-year-old Molly Loe and Emma Walton.
The qualified Auckland Hearts meanwhile need just one win from their two games this weekend in order to lock in hosting rights to the Grand Final. With regular captain Maddy Green and her deputy Katie Perkins also away with the WHITE FERNS, Samoa international Regina Lili’i steps up to lead the team in the crunch clashes with the capital side.
All matches will be live-scored at www.nzc.nz
PHOTOSPORT
Auckland Hearts v Wellington Blaze
Colin Maiden Park, Auckland
Round 9: 10.30am today, Saturday 2 March 2019
Round 10: 10.00am Sunday 3 March 2019
AUCKLAND HEARTS
Regina Lili'i ©, Bella Armstrong, Skye Bowden, Emma Fulbrook, Amie Hucker, Holly Huddleston, Arlene Kelly, Tariel Lamb (w), Roz McNeill, Josie Penfold, Jesse Prasad, Saachi Shahri
WELLINGTON BLAZE
Liz Perry ©, Rebecca Berns, Wheturangi Charteris, Lucy Doolan, Allex Evans, Xara Jetley, Caitlin King, Jess Kerr, Suzie McDonald, Beth Molony, Thamsyn Newton
Central Hinds v Otago Sparks
Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North
Round 9: 10.30am today, Saturday 2 March 2019
Round 10: 10.00am Sunday 3 March 2019
Manawatu Standard
CENTRAL HINDS
Anlo van Deventer ©, Jess Watkin (v-c), Natalie Dodd (w), Kerry Tomlinson, Emily Cunningham, Esther Lanser, Melissa Hansen, Mikaela Greig, Georgia Atkinson, Kate Baxter, Claudia Green, Taila Hurley
OTAGO SPARKS
Emma Black, Caitlin Blakeley, Ella Brown, Eden Carson, Millie Cowan, Olivia Gain, Megan Gibbs, Bella James, Molly Low, Sophie Oldershaw, Bridget Thayer, Emma Walton
Emma Black, Caitlin Blakeley, Ella Brown, Eden Carson, Millie Cowan, Olivia Gain, Megan Gibbs, Bella James, Molly Low, Sophie Oldershaw, Bridget Thayer, Emma Walton
Northern Spirit v Canterbury Magicians
St Paul's Collegiate, Waikato
Round 9: 10.30am today, Saturday 2 March 2019
Round 10: 10.00am Sunday 3 March 2019
PHOTOSPORT
NORTHERN SPIRIT
Samantha Curtis ©, Kate Anderson, Emma Baker, Lucy Boucher, Carolyn Esterhuizen, Georgina Harris, Mereana Hyde, Felicity Leydon-Davis, Olivia Lobb, Lily Mulivai, Briana Perry, Eimear Richardson, Alisha Rout, Charlotte Sarsfield
Samantha Curtis ©, Kate Anderson, Emma Baker, Lucy Boucher, Carolyn Esterhuizen, Georgina Harris, Mereana Hyde, Felicity Leydon-Davis, Olivia Lobb, Lily Mulivai, Briana Perry, Eimear Richardson, Alisha Rout, Charlotte Sarsfield
CANTERBURY MAGICIANS
Erin Bermingham ©, Kirsty Nation, Kate Ebrahim, Jodie Dean, Jacinta Savage, Nat Cox, Jess Simmons, Allie Mace Cochrane, Laura Hughes (w), Missy Banks, Emma Kench, Georgia Edge, Sarah Asmussen
Points heading into Round 9 (Saturday)
Erin Bermingham ©, Kirsty Nation, Kate Ebrahim, Jodie Dean, Jacinta Savage, Nat Cox, Jess Simmons, Allie Mace Cochrane, Laura Hughes (w), Missy Banks, Emma Kench, Georgia Edge, Sarah Asmussen
Points heading into Round 9 (Saturday)
Auckland Hearts — 34 —Qualified
Central Hinds — 28
Wellington Blaze —23
Otago Sparks — 18
Canterbury Magicians — 8
Northern Spirit — 0
