In the 26th Match of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HJS) 2025-26, Wellington Blaze will take on Auckland Hearts at Basin Reserve, Wellington. The Blaze have had a good campaign this season with 4 wins on the trot. They have been in great touch, and they will be high on confidence, with 6 wins under their stride. Meanwhile, Auckland Hearts have won only 2 out of their last 5 games. They are still yet to find their winning formula this season but having won the last match after a hat trick of losses, will do their confidence some good.
Squads:
Wellington Blaze Women’s Cricket Team
Georgia Plimmer, Rebecca Burns, Natasha Codyre, Hannah Francis, Xara Jetly, Sam Mackinder, Jess McFadyen, Isla McKenzie, Jess Simmons, Nicole Baird, Rachel Bryant, Gemma Sims
Auckland Hearts Women’s Cricket Team
Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze, Lauren Down, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Bella Armstrong, Prue Catton, Josie Penfold, Molly Penfold, Ayaan Lambat, Elizabeth Buchanan, Anika Tauwhare, Olivia Anderson, Fran Jonas
Players to watch out:
Hannah Francis
Hannah Francis, the New Zealand batting all-rounder, has been a fine performer for her side in this tournament. This season, she has scored 185 runs and picked up 6 wickets from 8 outings so far. She also played a fabulous knock of 92 and picked up a solitary wicket against Otago Sparks in their previous encounter. She will be quite confident in her abilities to contribute with the bat, and she will be an important player to watch out for.
Xara Jetly
Xara Jetly, the New Zealand bowling all-rounder, has been an integral part of the squad with her ability to contribute with both bat and ball. This season, she has picked up 17 wickets, and she has scored 188 runs from 8 matches. Jetly picked up 2 wickets and scored 17 runs in her previous performance against Otago Sparks. She has the ability to pick up wickets at different stages of the game, and she is also quite handy with the bat.
Maddy Green
Maddy Green, the New Zealand middle order batter, has been a consistent batter for her national side and domestic side. In her ODI career, she has scored 1793 runs from 77 innings and she has also picked up 2 wickets from 8 innings so far. In her last match against Central Hinds, she scored a scintillating 109 and she had also picked up 3 wickets in her bowling spell. With the considerable amount of experience and form she brings to the side, she will be a player to look out for.
Bella Armstrong
Bella Armstrong, the New Zealand all-rounder, has been one of the best performing players for Auckland Hearts. This season, she has scored 191 runs from 7 innings at a strike rate of 79.25 and she has picked up 5 wickets from 8 innings at an economy of 4.73. She also scored a wonderful 75 against Central Hinds in her previous match. She will be a valuable asset for her side considering her expertise in both batting and bowling.
Pitch:
The surface at Wellington offers early bounce and swing for the seam bowlers and this could trouble the opening batters quite a bit. Spinners may be able to grip the ball as the innings progresses but then the batters will be adjusted to the conditions.
Weather:
The forecast predicts dry conditions with a high of 14°C, with around a 12% chance of precipitation during the day and roughly a 30% chance at night.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze, Lauren Down, Georgia Plimmer, Brooke Halliday, Jess McFadyen, Bella Armstrong, Hannah Rowe, Sam Mackinder, Molly Penfold, Ayaan Lambat
Match Details:
Date – February 14, 2026
Time – 3:00 AM IST
Venue – Basin Reserve, Wellington
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the New Zealand Cricket YouTube app and website.
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