Wellington’s Under-17 Women made it an age-group double act for their Association as they followed in their Under-19 women’s footsteps to bag the inaugural 2025/26 NZC national title.
The team beat Auckland U17 in a hard fought T20 final in Lincoln, winning by just eight runs as they defended their total of 115/9.
It was the culmination of a strong week from the capital’s young women after they’d topped the table in the round robin, with four wins and dropping just one match.
Auckland wenrt close | PHOTOSPORT
That was the same as runner-up Auckland, who put in a strong all-round campaign across the week, but a bonus point for Wellington made the latter the Final’s top seed, and Wellington duly delivered.
Rose McGuigan (187 runs across the tournament) and Mira Patel (averaging 34) were outstanding with the bat for the team, while Thea Larsen — the elder of Wellington’s Larsen sisters who had already impressed for Wellington U19 this season — led the way with the ball (nine wickets, including a haul of 4/17).
Thea Larsen celebrates a wicket | PHOTOSPORT
But Wellington’s campaign was underpinned by contributions across their entire squad.
Vrunda Patel, hailing from Hamilton and representing Northern Districts U17, deserves a special mention for her batting.
Vrunda Patel impressed | PHOTOSPORT
Her bright, unbeaten 70* off just 50 balls helped ND to take a rare win off Auckland — a nine-wicket win, no less.
Patel finished as the tournament’s overall top batter with 254 runs, 59 more than the next challenger, Otago’s Ella Bezett.
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Central Districts secured third place on the table, three points behind Auckland and four behind Wellington.
That set up a third place playoff against Northern, who went on to claim official third place with an eight-wicket win in their 3v4 Final.
Canterbury and winless Otago were left to play off for fifth, and it went right down to the wire — the 5v6 Final was a tie!
Otago's top batter Ella Bezett | PHOTOSPORT
Canterbury, by dint of having finished higher on the table, took home the consolation prize in their rain-reduced 11 over match.
Weather and muddy dugouts had been a nuisance across the week, but the ground staff did an outstanding job to keep the tournament rolling to an exciting conclusion.
New Zealand Cricket would like to thank all players, support staff and supporters for their efforts across the tournament.
