The Central Stags and Central Hinds will help create a slice of cricket history tomorrow when they head into the first Dream11 Super Smash doubleheader to be played at Auckland international showcase Eden Park.

The Auckland Hearts-Central Hinds clash will also be the first ever women’s Domestic T20 to be played at the main stadium and new captain HANNAH ROWE says it will be important not to be overwhelmed by the occasion as the Hinds look to back up their win last week.

A co-captain last season, Rowe is captain for the match in place of JESS WATKIN who is unavailable for the final round with a prior commitment.

Rowe and fellow leading pace bowler ROSEMARY MAIR have played on the ground before for the WHITE FERNS, beating India by four wickets in a T20i in February 2019 and taking the field again in April last year when a T20i against Australia ended in a washout.

“It’s a special match and always a special place to play, and that’s exciting,” said Rowe.

“It’s a really special occasion as well with the doubleheader being a thank you for Auckland’s essential workers and a great initiative from Auckland Cricket as we certainly all appreciate the sacrifices that Aucklanders made during the lockdowns last year.

“It’s also MIKAELA GREIG’s 50th cap match for us in the T20s so we will look forward to the occasion on all those fronts, but look to stay focused on our primary purpose which is winning a game of cricket to finish our T20 season in style."

BLACKCAP WILL YOUNG will make his first appearance for the Central Stags this season, returning to the locale where he scored his maiden T20 century last season in the Elimination Final - across the grandstand at the Outer Oval last year.

Fast bowler ADAM MILNE also returns from a knee injury, setting up an exciting clash of the BLACKCAPS quicks between Milne and Auckland’s Lockie Ferguson.

Images: PHOTOSPORT

Of the Auckland Aces squad, only Martin Guptill and George Worker (who was playing for the Stags at the time) have played a Domestic T20 in the main stadium before, but Young, Milne, AJAZ PATEL, BEN SMITH and SETH RANCE all featured the last time the Stags played at Eden Park, against the Wellington Firebirds in November 2014.

Both matches tomorrow are live and on demand at Spark Sport as well as live on free to air TVNZ Duke, with the women’s day match beginning at 10.10am and the Stags from 1.40pm. Attention then turns to the respective one-day national competitions, with the unbeaten Stags top of the table in The Ford Trophy and the Hinds well placed in third spot with four matches in hand in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.

The Stags host the Auckland Aces at Palmerston North’s Fitzherbert Park in a free admission one-day Ford Trophy clash on 1 February while the Hinds will be in action at New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park on Saturday 5 and Waitangi Day Sunday 6 February against the Auckland Hearts, both matches also free admission.

DREAM11 SUPER SMASH

v Auckland Hearts

Eden Park, Auckland

Round 10 of 10

10.10am Saturday 22 January 2022

Hannah Rowe — vice-captain — Manawatu

Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu

Ocean Bartlett — Wairarapa

Emily Cunningham — Taranaki

Claudia Green — Nelson

Mikaela Greig — Manawatu

Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa

Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatu

Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay

Monique Rees — Nelson 

Gemma Sims — wicketkeeper — Wairarapa

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

Coach — Jamie Watkins

v Auckland Aces

Eden Park, Auckland

Round 10 of 10

1.40pm Saturday, 22 January 2022

Tom Bruce – captain — Taranaki

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Dane Cleaver — wicketkeeper — Manawatu

Joey Field — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Ajaz Patel — Hawke’s BayAdam Milne — Manawatu

Seth Rance — Wairarapa

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Will Young  — Taranaki

Coach — Rob Walter

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Article added: Friday 21 January 2022