Heat is on in race for national trophies

Wellington Blaze will enter their first match of 2018 today hoping to hold onto their early lead in the NZC Women’s Twenty20 national title race.

The unbeaten capital tearaways head to Karori Park this afternoon with a remodelled squad to face Northern Spirit who have won just one from three games to date this season — but the Blaze will also have one eye on the result in Palmerston North where a strong Auckland Hearts side will be looking for easy spoils against their young and rebuilding Central Hinds hosts.

Following this afternoon’s Round Four T20s, the same match-ups will take place in Rounds Seven and Eight of the one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield this Saturday and Sunday in Wellington, Palmerston North and Rangiora — where the Canterbury Magicians will dual with southern rivals the  Otago Sparks; the heat on all teams in a crunch penultimate weekend on the competition.

Wellington captain, former WHITE FERN and double international Liz Perry is in line to play her 100th one-day fixture for her side on Sunday (more on this here) after having debuted for the side in 2002 as a 15-year-old.

The Hinds meanwhile will face a stern challenge in their home rounds in Manawatu having lost the services of their sole WHITE FERNS representative Hannah Rowe to a dislocated finger as well as the experience of allrounder Mikaela Greig who has an injured back. Those injuries have opened the door for the possibility of a second-generation Central Hind, Taranaki teenager Taila Hurley in line to make her debut for the side over the next three days of national competition.

Seventeen-year-old spinning allrounder Hurley, who was named in the tournament team at the recent NZC National Under-21 tournament in Auckland that CD won, is the daughter of Gill Hurley (née Rothwell) who played 18 one-day matches for the Hinds between 1989 and 1993.

All matches are free entry and live-scored at www.nzc.nz

NZC Women’s T20 — Round Four

3.30pm today: Central Hinds v Auckland Hearts at Fitzherbert Park, Manawatu
4pm today: Wellington Blaze v Northern Spirit at Karori Park, Wellington
4pm today: Canterbury Magicians v Otago Sparks at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

#WT20 Points table

Hallyburton Johnstone Shield — Round Seven

All matches at 10.30am Saturday 13 January 2018

Wellington Blaze v Northern Spirit at Karori Park, Wellington
Central Hinds v Auckland Hearts at Fitzherbert Park, Manawatu
Canterbury Magicians v Otago Sparks at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

Hallyburton Johnstone Shield — Round Eight

All matches at 10.00am Sunday 14 January 2018

Wellington Blaze v Northern Spirit at Karori Park, Wellington
Central Hinds v Auckland Hearts at Fitzherbert Park, Manawatu
Canterbury Magicians v Otago Sparks at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

#HBJShield Points table

Full schedules