Central Hinds and Wellington Blaze gear up for a tense showdown on November 30 at Fitzherbert Park, where both sides will fight to solidify their top-half positions in the 2025–26 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HJS). Central Hinds currently hold second place with two straight wins under their belt, while Wellington Blaze sit fourth with five points from their early matches. Expect a batting showdown as the Hinds look to extend their hot streak against a Blaze team hungry to climb higher.
Squads:
Central Hinds Women’s Cricket Team
Aniela Apperley, Cate Pedersen, Emma McLeod, Georgia Atkinson, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson, Anna Gaging, Flora Devonshire, Grace Foreman, Jessica Ogden, Ocean Bartlett, Ashtuti Kumar, Claudia Green
Wellington Blaze Women’s Cricket Team
Gemma Sims, Natasha Codyre, Rebecca Burns, Hannah Francis, Isla McKenzie, Rachel Bryant, Jessica McFadyen, Sam Mackinder, Jessica Simmons, Nicole Baird, Xara Jetly
Players to watch out:
Hannah Rowe
Hannah Rowe has started the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 2025-26 as a significant presence with the bat for Central Hinds, hitting 96 runs from her two innings. Her high score is a powerful 56, contributing to an average of 48.00 at a striking rate of 74.41.
Georgia Plimmer
Georgia Plimmer has contributed a solid start for Wellington Blaze, scoring 48 runs in her sole innings batted so far this season. This performance gives her a current batting average of 48.00, achieved from 69 deliveries.
Elizabeth Cohr
The Central Hinds bowler, Elizabeth Cohr, sits high on the wicket-takers list, having snatched 4 wickets across her two appearances. Her best figures of 4/35 came at a sharp average of 8.75, highlighting her effectiveness with the ball.
Jessica Simmons
Jessica Simmons has made an immediate impact for Wellington Blaze in her two matches, taking 4 wickets with her right-arm medium pace. Her best bowling returns are 4/14, giving her a superb average of just 8.75 this season.
Pitch:
Fitzherbert Park generally features a balanced surface that does not heavily favor either batters or bowlers. The venue sees moderate scoring without extreme highs or lows, indicating a fair contest between bat and ball. It is known to produce games where both disciplines can impact the outcome appreciably.
Weather:
Palmerston North is expected to experience mild and somewhat cloudy weather with temperatures peaking around 17-18°C. There might be scattered showers or drizzle, but no heavy rain is forecasted. Wind conditions will be moderate, making for fairly comfortable playing.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Hannah Rowe, Elizabeth Cohr, Aniela Apperley, Cate Pedersen, Emma McLeod, Georgia Atkinson, Jessica Simmons, Georgia Plimmer, Gemma Sims, Natasha Codyre, Rebecca Burns
Match Details:
Date – November 30, 2025
Time – 3:00 AM IST
Venue – Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on New Zealand Cricket YouTube channel.
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