The final of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HJS) 2025-26 is all set to be played between Northern Brave and Wellington Blaze at the Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington. The Brave had a wonderful run in the tournament as they won 8 out of the 10 matches that they had played, and one of the games had been abandoned. Jess Watkin, the skipper, will be mighty pleased with the way her team has performed in this tournament, as they have established their dominance. As Northern Brave gear up to take on Wellington Blaze in the grand finale of the tournament, here are the top 3 players to look out for:
Caitlin Gurrey
Caitlin Gurrey, the New Zealand wicketkeeper, has been in fine form for Northern Brave in the domestic circuit. She has been a fine technical batter who can keep the scoreboard ticking even in pressure situations. In this tournament, she has scored 479 runs from 10 innings at an average of 47.90. She scored a solid 74 off 98 balls in her previous match against Central Hinds. She will be quite confident in her abilities and will be looking to provide that match-winning knock in the final against Wellington Blaze.
Nensi Patel
Nensi Patel, the New Zealand batting all-rounder, has been in good form in the recent matches for Northern Brave. She has been a solid batter for her side as she can score runs quickly. In this tournament, she has scored 283 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 104. She scored a solid 52 in her previous match against Central Hinds Women, and that was also her third consecutive fifty in the tournament. She will be a key player for her side as she can take away the game from the opposition with her hitting abilities.
Jess Watkin
Jess Watkin, Northern Brave skipper, will have quite some nerves going into her first-ever final as the captain of Northern Brave. In this tournament, she has scored 277 runs from 9 innings at a strike rate of 85. She scored a solid 50 off just 27 balls in her previous game against Central Hinds. The skipper will be hopeful that she can lead her side from the front in the finals, as her opening contribution to the scoreboard will lay the foundation for the other batters to build their innings in the match.
Loves all things female cricket