2023/24 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
Round 2
Sunday, 19 November 2023
Cobham Oval, Whangārei
NORTHERN DISTRICTS lost to AUCKLAND HEARTS
by 60 runs (DLS)
VIDEO SCORECARD
Points: Auckland Hearts 5, ND 0
Selected milestones
Rishika Jaswal - List A debut
Josie Penfold - maiden List A half century, career best
Tash Wakelin - maiden List A half century, career best
Kayley Knight - List A career best bowling
Jess Watkin - Northern Districts debut (previously Central Hinds)
Images | PHOTOSPORT
After the disappointment of the previous day's opening day washout, round two of New Zealand's one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield saw the sun pop out over Whangārei for the Auckland Hearts and Northern Districts to get on the park at last.
The Hearts debuted spinner Rishika Jaswal on her birthday, while Jess Watkin's ND debut was also now official - her captain Eimear Richardson winning the toss, and putting in their visitors.
Maddy Green, the opposing skipper was now back playing for her Hearts, after a stint with the Blaze. She batted at four, but it wouldn't be a triumphant return for the WHITE FERN in any sense, with a quick three-ball duck.
At 38/3, she had been the third wicket to fall, but none of the Hearts' top five got starts. And yet, things were just about to get humming for them.
Prue Catton and Josie Penfold (coming to the middle after the loss of another quick wicket - her sister Molly) put on a sorely needed century stand for the seventh wicket that not only prevented a calamity for the visitors, but ultimately proved unbeatable.
Young Catton, who had captained the team last season, showed wisdom beyond her years again with a knock of 49 - cruelly undone by Lucy Boucher when Catton was on the cusp of a half ton, after more than two hours' hard yakka anchoring the back half of the innings.
Earlier, Penfold had relished a maiden half century in tough circumstances, top-scoring with 58.
No one else made an impact with the bat, but Catton's defiance ensured they had batted into the 46th over to post a competitive total of 206.
The ND attack had meanwhile had a field day: three wickets each to Boucher, Nensi Patel and Kayley Knight. But their own innings did not go to plan, with rain in the mix as well - reducing the target slightly to 201 off 28 overs.
Despite a solid start from Tash Wakelin (59) who reached her own maiden half ton in the game, at the top, no one else coughed up runs.
Wakelin couldn't do it all on her own.
Bree Illing, Amie Hucker and the birthday girl Jaswal all took a brace as the hosts stumbled to 140/9 before time ran out.
The Hearts grabbed a bonus point to boot, racing to the top of the table, after a trip that turned out to be well worth it, up the highway.
