There will be at least one CENTRAL HIND tomorrow in Napier

VANESSA TAYLOR joins ABBY TREDER in the squad ahead of the Hinds' last Dream11 Super Smash game for the season, both players uncapped.

Manawatū's Treder carried the drinks for Sunday's T20 in Christchurch after having been called into the Hinds for the first time - and now Wairarapa youngster Taylor joins her in the 12 for McLean Park, meaning at least one young batter will make their Hinds debut on the park on Wednesday.

Both are graduates of the CD U19 pathway programme, with Taylor having been CD U19's and New Zealand's leading runscorer at the NZC Women's Under 19 Nationals last month in Lincoln.

Vanessa Taylor | PHOTOSPORT

Like OCEAN BARTLETT and EMMA McLEOD, Taylor is also another graduate of Masterton's St Matthew's Collegiate whose strong cricket programme led to last season's NZC National Schoolgirls First XI trophy, the Venus Cup.

Taylor comes in for GEORGIA ATKINSON for the final fling against the Auckland Hearts, after which the out-of-contention Hinds will reset for the last four rounds of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield - the national one-day competition in which they are currently second on the table, with two matches in Dunedin and two matches in New Plymouth to go before the Final they hope to qualify for.

Tomorrow's match in Napier will be a special one for veteran KERRY TOMLINSON who is set to play her 100th Dream11 Super Smash game (all teams) - emulating teammate THAMSYN NEWTON who also achieved the career milestone this summer, in Palmerston North.

PHOTOSPORT

The CENTRAL STAGS are meanwhile unchanged and still top of the table ahead of tomorrow evening's big game against the Auckland Aces, with the already qualified Stags now guaranteed a top two finish on the table, but still looking for four points at a good net run rate in order to give themselves their best chance of locking in direct entry to Sunday's Grand Final in Wellington.

The Stags are on 24 points with five wins and two washouts after nine rounds, and the only other team that could join them on 24 or 28 points is Northern Brave who still have two games to go to catch up (update: Northern Brave lost to the Canterbury Kings on Tuesday, meaning a Stags win in Napier will guarantee direct entry).

If the Brave and Stags finish joint top, the direct entry to the Grand Final and the less desirable ticket to Saturday's sudden death Elimination Final will be determined by which team has the higher net run rate (currently that's 0.16 for the Stags and -0.17 for the Brave, who have four wins from eight games).

Jack Boyle | PHOTOSPORT

Tickets for the Finals weekend at the Cello Basin Reserve are available at www.supersmash.co.nz while tickets for tomorrow's last Central home doubleheader are available here with gates open from 1.10pm ahead of the Hinds-Hearts game that starts at 2.10pm.

The Stags-Aces game under lights begins at 5.55pm with the weather looking primo for a lovely summer evening's entertainment; tickets get you in for both games on the day.

Hometown Stags Blair Tickner and Jayden Lennox | PHOTOSPORT

While the Hinds have already bowed out of contention, CD Cricket can take pride in having sent both its flagship teams to the Finals over the past 12 months, with hopes riding on the Stags this time.

However, the Stags will be concious of needing to kick back into top gear, after two frustrating washouts since their last full game 11 days ago when they beat the Canterbury Kings by 15 runs at McLean Park.

The Stags have already beaten the Auckland Aces here once this season too, by eight wickets.

• Mates Packs, Family Passes and GA tickets are still available and you can beat Game Day prices by buying online before tomorrow (Wednesday)

ROUND 10

12.10PM | 5.55PM

29 January 2025

McLean Park

v

Auckland Hearts + Aces

Tom Bruce — captain, Taranaki

Jack Boyle — Hawke’s Bay

Dane Cleaver — wicketkeeper, Manawatū

Will Clark — Hawke’s Bay

Toby Findlay — Hawke’s Bay

Curtis Heaphy — Manawatū

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Brett Randell — Nelson

Angus Schaw — Hawke’s Bay

Blair Tickner — Hawke’s Bay

Ray Toole — Manawatū

Will Young — Taranaki

Head Coach: Ben F. Smith

Assistant Coach: Glenn Pocknall

Contracted players unavailable for selection:

Josh Clarkson (family commitments)

Ajaz Patel, Mason Hughes, Joey Field, Tyler Annand - injury

Mikaela Greig — captain, Manawatū

Ocean Bartlett  — Wairarapa

Flora Devonshire — Hawke’s Bay

Kate Gaging — wicketkeeper, Nelson

Claudia Green — Nelson

Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatū

Thamsyn Newton — Hawke’s Bay

Jess Ogden — Manawatū

Hannah Rowe — Manawatū

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

Abby Treder — uncapped, Manawatū

Vanessa Taylor — Wairarapa

Head Coach: Deepak Joon

Assistant Coach: Greg Hay

Contracted players unavailable for selection

Rosemary Mair (injury), Emma McLeod

Tickets: www.cdcricket.co.nz

Article added: Tuesday 28 January 2025