Match 28: Northern Brave Women vs Central Hinds Women | Squads, Players to Watch, Live Streaming Details

In the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 2025-26, Northern Brave head into this clash sitting comfortably at the top of the table with 32 points. They’ve been the team to beat this season, already securing their spot in the Grand Final with two rounds to spare. Their last outing was a clinical display against Canterbury Magicians, where they successfully defended a target to clinch a 20-run victory. On the flip side, Central Hinds currently find themselves in a mid-table scrap. They were involved in a heart-stopping thriller in their last game against Auckland Hearts, falling just 6 runs short of a massive 300-run chase.

Squads:

Northern Brave Women’s Cricket Team

Tash Wakelin, Jess Watkin, Jo Gardner, Caitlin Gurrey, Nensi Patel, Marina Lamplough, Kayley Knight, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp, Lucy Boucher, Carol Agafili, Marama Downes, Skye Bowden, Yaz Kareem

Central Hinds Women’s Cricket Team

Hannah Rowe, Flora Devonshire, Kate Gaging, Ashtuti Kumar, Emma McLeod, Rosemary Mair, Cate Pedersen, Grace Foreman, Jess Ogden, Kerry Tomlinson, Aniela Aperley, Georgia Atkinson, Elizabeth Cohr

Players to watch out:

Caitlin Gurrey

Caitlin has been a model of consistency at the top of the order for Northern Brave, consistently finding ways to turn starts into substantial scores. Across her 9 innings, she has amassed 405 runs at a healthy average of 45.00, including four half-centuries that have anchored several key chases. While she narrowly missed out on a ton with a best of 99, her strike rate of 82.82 shows she knows exactly when to shift gears to keep the scoreboard moving.

Emma McLeod

Emma has emerged as one of the most exciting batters this season, currently leading the run-scoring charts for Central Hinds with 474 runs. Her ability to stay at the crease is reflected in her impressive 59.25 average, highlighted by a brilliant unbeaten 139 that stands as one of the tournament’s best individual efforts. With three fifties and a century to her name, she has become the reliable backbone that the Hinds build their innings around.

Jess Watkin

Jess remains one of the premier all-rounders in the competition, making a massive impact with both bat and ball for Northern Districts. She has chipped in with 277 runs at an average of 34.62, but it is her off spin that has really troubled oppositions, yielding 16 wickets at an average of 16.37. Her economy rate of 3.63 is particularly impressive, proving that she can squeeze the life out of an innings while simultaneously breaking partnerships.

Rosemary Mair

Rosemary has led Central Hinds’ pace attack with her trademark discipline and subtle movement. In her 7 appearances, she has claimed 13 wickets, maintaining a very tidy economy of 4.22 and an average of 16.46. Her best figures of 3/27 highlight her knack for picking up crucial middle-order wickets, making her a vital asset for her side in tight games.

Pitch:

Known as a batting paradise in limited-overs cricket, the Bay Oval usually offers a flat, hard surface with even bounce. In T20s, the average first-innings score often pushes toward 200.

Weather:

Mount Maunganui will experience light rain with a high of 21°C and a low of 15°C; winds will be from the southwest at 15 mph.

Fantasy Playing XI:

Jess Watkin, Caitlin Gurrey, Nensi Patel, Kayley Knight, Lucy Boucher, Marama Downes, Hannah Rowe, Flora Devonshire, Emma McLeod, Rosemary Mair, Elizabeth Cohr