Central Districts Cricket Association

CENTRAL HINDS

The Central Hinds proudly represent CDCA in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield - NZC's national one-day championship; and in the Dream11 Super Smash, New Zealand’s high-octane T20 competition where every game is played as a doubleheader with the Central Stags.

In 2023/24, the Hinds made the national Dream11 Super Smash Grand Final at Eden Park, finishing as the runner-up after an incredible last-ball, one-run win for the Wellington Blaze.

Follow our team's adventures with hashtag #CENTRALHINDS

As the best players from the eight District Association regions that make up CD, the Hinds are the only women’s Domestic side to be drawn from both the main islands of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Hinds won the 2010 national T20 trophy and were T20 national finalists again in 2016, as well as 2024. We were proud Hallyburton Johnstone Shield national champions in 2019 and, like the Central Stags, share a special team spirit and camaraderie.

The Hinds play an exciting brand of white-ball cricket despite facing far more logistical challenges than rival city-based teams. Matches between the Hinds and our neighbours Wellington Blaze are particularly special, with the Hinds having broken away from the Wellington region in 1979.

Many early players represented both teams, and when the Blaze and the Hinds meet for the first time every season in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, the Viv Stephens Memorial Trophy goes on the line.

Born in Foxton, Manawatu, Viv (née Sexton) was the first captain of the Hinds in 1979, and represented both teams during her career, as well as the WHITE FERNS. The trophy was shared when it was introduced in 2022, after rain washed out the scheduled games at the Basin Reserve.

Last season, the sun shone at Palmerston North where the Hinds became the first team to win this special trophy outright and then Wellington claimed it in 2023/24.

THE CENTRAL HINDS have produced a number of WHITE FERNS for New Zealand, including Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe, Mikaela Greig and Natalie Dodd (currently taking a season off for maternity). Thamsyn Newton, who came to us from Wellington Blaze in 2023, has also represented New Zealand. Claudia Green has been twice selected for the WHITE FERNS squad without yet gaining a debut cap.

Other names you might recognise from past years include Elizabeth and Rosemary Signal who became the first twins in the world to play Test cricket!

Penny Kinsella went on to be a WHITE FERNS selector and national board member, and Rebecca Rolls a double cricket/football international and NZC Board Member. Other well known and accomplished Hinds include Sara McGlashan, Rachel Priest, double cricket/hockey international Liz Perry, Abby Burrows, Rachel Candy, former WHITE FERNS captain Aimee Watkins (née Mason), Kate Ebrahim (née Broadmore) and Jess Watkin.

Did you know?

Television personality Toni Street, RNZ Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan and Black Ferns legend and New Zealand Rugby 2018 Player of the Year Kendra Cocksedge are all proud former Central Hinds cricketers!

DID YOU KNOW?

Although the Central Hinds side didn't come into existence and compete until the 1979/80 season, New Zealand Domestic Cricket competitions for women started in 1935/36.

Today, the free-admission Hallyburton Johnstone Shield sees NZ's six domestic teams competing against each other in 50-over matches in back-to-back Saturday and Sunday games at each venue: five weekends across the summer, building up to a 1v2 Grand Final for the top two qualifiers in February 2024.

Women’s T20s — the Dream11 Super Smash — were first introduced in 2007/08. Back in the day, teams also played two-innings tournaments with a view to Test selection for New Zealand, but now short form, white-ball cricket is the international pathway.

The Central Hinds have featured in Super Smash doubleheaders (back-to-back games on the same day) with the Central Stags since 2018/19. Spectators get double the action - two T20s for the price of one, and a great opportunity to see what the fast-growing women's game is all about.

Gourmet food and coffee carts, heaps of activities and freebies for the kids, grown-up refreshments for the rest of us, plus a super entertainment package (with MCs and most games televised, with a replay big screen at the ground) are all laid on for a fun day.

Get together with your family and mates at the cricket at these very affordable games played throughout New Zealand in the holiday season. PS, wear green!