All eyes will be on WHITE FERN and Auckland Hearts star Lauren Down when the second edition of Central Districts Cricket’s Central Super League starts this week in Levin.

While her Auckland Hearts teammates in the big smoke are still waiting to be able to play in this year’s national Hallyburton Johnstone Shield due to COVID-19 Alert Level restrictions — and with the ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand drawing closer, the WHITE FERNS opening batter jumped at the offer to gain some valuable time in the middle and will join New Plymouth Power for the three-day T20 franchise fight starting this Friday.

WHITE FERN LAUREN DOWN | PHOTOSPORT

The CSL pits four town-based franchises — New Plymouth Power, Palmerston North Tui, Tararua Kotahi and defending champions the Levin Coastal Challengers — against each other in what will this season be an all-T20 tournament from Frida to Sunday in Levin.

Central Hinds star Natalie Dodd led the Power in last season’s inaugural CSL competition but, with the Hamilton-based player still trapped in Level 3, fellow Central Hind Claudia Green will step up to lead New Plymouth Power - reuniting with Down who, like Green, is fresh off touring England with the WHITE FERNS in September.

Since returning to New Zealand and completing MIQ post-tour, Down has been based in the tiny town of Turakina Beach, Rangitikei with her boyfriend, and said she felt very fortunate to be in a position to play cricket whilst the bulk of the Auckland Hearts and Northern Brave squads have been locked down — and now currently restricted to socially distanced squad trainings under respective Alert Level protocols further north.

“It’s obviously been really tough for them, especially now that the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield has got underway with other teams being able to play,” said Down. "I really feel for them — most of their preseason has been done through a screen. 

“It’s not the ideal preparation heading into a big summer of cricket, but I think that’s what this season is going to be about. 

"We could be potentially underprepared, but we have to adapt and just play the best cricket that we can. Nothing replicates game time, so personally, to have this opportunity this weekend and to have been able to join in and play in the North Island Quadrangular Tournament in Taupo two weekends ago as well has been really beneficial.

“Everyone in the Central Districts region has been super helpful in getting me game time and playing opportunities, so as an Auckland Heart I’m feeling very lucky.”

 

 

 

The man behind the Central Super League, CD’s Female Performance and Pathways Coach Jamie Watkins, said having Down join the CSL this year is a win-win.

“We’re obviously really disappointed for Natalie Dodd who is still stuck in Hamilton, and missed the opening weekend of our HBJ Shield in which she would have been captaining the Hinds for the first time. And, now this. 

“But to be able to have another hugely experienced marquee player in Lauren Down step in is to share her knowledge and talent with the younger girls is really fantastic in the circumstances. 

“We designed this competition to be a level above our Districts cicket, so that our regional and Development players get more of a chance to play alongside and against Cental Hinds and WHITE FERNS to learn and understand the level to which they can aspire.

“The CSL was an instant success in that regard last year with Ocean Bartlett, Anna and Kate Gaging and Gemma Sims all stepping up from the competition to make their Dream11 Super Smash debuts for the Hinds.

“Gemma is a prime example — you only have to look at the way she performed in Nelson on Sunday in our HBJ match against the Otago Sparks, stepping up for the side when we were in trouble and rebuilding a platform for the team that we really should have capitalised on from there.”

Watkins said an off-season review of the competition with Districts stakeholders saw the one-day section dropped from this year’s CSL with the trophy to be decided by three short, sharp rounds of T20 this Friday afternoon and back-to-back on Saturday, followed by a 3v4 playoff and the Final on Sunday — all matches free admission at Levin’s Donnelly Park.

“Donnelly Park is an excellent venue and as Levin obviously doesn’t host a Central Hinds game this year, it’s a great opportunity to bring quality players to town and stimulate further interest in women’s cricket.”

WHITE FERN Hannah Rowe will captain the home side Levin Coastal Challengers this season while Central Hinds Melissa Hansen and Jess Watkin will head Tararua Kotahi and Palmerston North Tui respectively. 

Teams are selected by a tiered Draw with marquee players spread across the four sides to foster emerging talent, and players picked from throughout the far-flung Central Districts region that spans both of New Zealand’s main islands and both coasts.

CDCA’s Central Super League is proudly supported by John Turkington Forestry with all matches live-scored on CricHQ.

2021/22

CENTRAL SUPER LEAGUE

All matches at Donnelly Park, Levin *

#CENTRALSUPERLEAGUE

CSL home page

SCHEDULE

Round One 4.30PM, Friday 5 November 2021

Levin Coastal Challengers v Palmerston North Tui

New Plymouth Power v Tararua Kotahi

Round Two 10am Saturday, 6 November 2021

New Plymouth Power v Levin Coastal Challengers 

Palmerston North Tui v Tararua Kotahi

Round Three 2.30PM Saturday 6 November 2021

Tararua Kotahi v Levin Coastal Challengers 

New Plymouth Power v Palmerston North Tui

Sunday 7 November 2021

3v4 Playoff 10AM

Grand Final (1v2) 10AM

* Level 2 Event attendance protocols apply:

• Maintain at least 1m distancing from other people outside your personal/family/whanau bubble 
• Wear a face covering
• Keep track of where you have been 
• Get a test if you are unwell 
• Maintain good hygiene
• Book your free vaccination

Article added: Tuesday 02 November 2021