2024/25 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
Round 2
Sunday 17 November 2024
Cello Basin Reserve, Wellington
WELLINGTON BLAZE defeated CENTRAL HINDS by 25 runs
Wellington Blaze : 4 points
Central Hinds : 0 points
All images: PHOTOSPORT
SELECTED MILESTONES
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Rosemary Mair : second six-wicket bag, List A career best (6/21)
Hannah Francis : List A career best (4/18)
Jess Kerr : 100 List A wickets (all teams)
At the Cello Basin Reserve, the Blaze had their revenge on the Central Hinds - despite T20 World Cup star Rosemary Mair whistling to a new one-day career-best.
Mair rustled up an outstanding 6/21, twice putting herself on unconverted hat-tricks, after Blaze captain Becky Burns had this time won the toss and batted first.
With conditions again tricky, the 25-run win secured the Blaze four points, a first win for Burns as Blaze captain.
It was a bowlers' weekend, and this time 18-year-old pace bowler Hannah Francis picked up a career-best 4/18 as the Hinds found themselves bowled out for just 107, unable to replicate their lower order fightback for the previous day.
They has been chasing the Blaze's 132, but lost middle order wickets at key moments in another low-scoring tussle.
WHITE FERNS Leigh Kasperek made important all-round contributions with both bat and ball for the hosts.
Batting at four and six respectively, they were the only two Blazies to get a score on the tins with 36 runs apiece, and shared a 77-run fifth wicket stand that provided the meat of the Blaze innings.
The stability it provided after having been shocked at 12/4 (all Mair's doing) was key to Wellington's fortunes, Mair having dismissed Burns, Caitlin King and Gemma Sims all for golden ducks.
Young Hinds batting up-and-comer Emma McLeod (above) got the Hinds a good start in response with her top score of 41, but the rest of the line-up quickly succumbed and capitulated, bar a cameo of 17 from captain Mikaela Greig.
Kerr removed the skipper at 69/3, when the Hinds were still in with a good shout.
Kasperek then did some middle order damage by bowling both Hannah Rowe and Flora Devonshire cheaply, showing great control in the windy environment and opening the door for her side to attack.
Mair's 6/21 now becomes the fourth best List A bowling haul in the Hinds' record books, after Ocean Bartlett took 6/27 against the same team yesterday.
