Hallyburton Johnstone Shield - new leaders!

Posted Sunday, 14 December, 2025 in Domestic News

2025/26

HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD

Rounds Five and Six | 13 and 14 December 2025

• At MainPower Oval, Rangiora

Canterbury Magicians lost to Wellington Blaze by 4 wickets - bonus point win

• At Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North

Central Hinds lost to Otago Sparks by 6 wickets - bonus point win

Central Hinds lost to Otago Sparks by 122 runs - bonus point win

• At Kennards Hire Community Oval, Eden Park, Auckland

Auckland Hearts lost to Northern Districts by 5 wickets - bonus point win

Auckland Hearts lost to Northern Districts by 117 runs - bonus point win

ALL THE SCORES

Maddy Green’s Auckland Hearts had been leading all the way up until round five of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield but, as the one-day regular season hit the halfway mark, a new leader was top of the table.

Northern Districts were playing the Hearts away at Kennards, and bounded ahead of their hosts with a bonus point victory — their fourth win in a row.

The Hearts finished Saturday sitting four points below ND while in Palmerston North, under pressure defending champion the Otago Sparks finally got their first win - largely a one-sided affair against an injury-hit Central Hinds unit.

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Wellington Blaze was meanwhile the victor in Rangiora, the Canterbury Magicians now going equal last on points, with all three of the fifth-round winners claiming a bonus point for the scale of their victory.

Still, only five points separated the top five teams after bonus points all round, meaning Sunday’s sixth of the 10 rounds could shake up the table all over again.

But that didn't happen, with ditto days at all three venues - all bonus point wins again, same victors, and Northern now extending their lead at a key stage of the comp after five on the trot.

After six of the 10 rounds, the national one-dayers hit pause now for the Super Smash T20 window and Northern, the only side never to have lifted the Hallyburton, will resume with a healthy four-point lead over Wellington Blaze who meanwhile had a blinder in Rangiora thanks to Jess Kerr's Blaze record seven-for.

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It was conversely a disastrous weekend for last year’s beaten Finalist the Auckland Hearts who began the weekend on top, and now drop to third, nine points behind. The Hinds took a hit as well, dropping from second a fortnight ago.

Ten points separate the top four teams, with a maximum of 20 points left in the regular season that will return in February, ahead of the 21 February Final in Wellington.

Only the top two sides will progress and while the Sparks will feel a whole lot better after taking two big wins off the Hinds in Palmerston North and getting off the bottom rung of the ladder, they remain off the pace in fifth spot.

SNAPSHOT

Points after six rounds:

23 Northern Districts

19 Wellington Blaze

14 Auckland Hearts

13 Central Hinds

10 Otago Sparks

5 Canterbury Magicians

HIGHLIGHTS

ROUND 5 • Saturday 13 December 2025

WHITE FERN Jess Kerr had a great all-round day and continued to underscore her credentials as a genuine allrounder with 3/18 and the top score of 47, against the Mags in Rangiora.
Blaze chased down their target of 137 inside 35 overs, after having earlier dismissed their hosts for 136 in less than 37 overs
Kerr's 50 came off just 59 balls.
The Central Hinds had a captaincy debut in Palmy, vice-captain Flora Devonshire taking over from injured captain Hannah Rowe - but the Sparks seized their opportunity to get on the board against a distinctly young Hinds unit, looking a little like like wounded deer as they sorely missed their two contracted WHITE FERNS pace bowlers
Devonshire won the toss, but her side mustered just 213/9, one bright note being Emma McLeod backing up her maiden century in the previous round at this same ground with a half century and top score of 62
But the Hinds will be the first to admit they didn't get enough on the board, meanwhile Sparks captain Felicity Robertson wreaked some late damage with 4/45 - her best bowling figures for Otago
Emma Black (2/32) sizzled with her 100th List A wicket when she dismissed Kerry Tomlinson on 42
Playing in just her third match, Lizzy Cohr was again in the wickets for Central with two up top, but middle order partnerships brought it home comfortably for the Sparks, with Polly Inglis unbeaten on 55* and Bella James reaching 59, both at better than run-a-ball and chasing down the target iside 36 overs
In Auckland, ND won with a whoppping 128 balls to spare against the form team of the comp, deposed leaders the Hearts.
Batting first, after being sent in, the Hearts had mustered just 157 in 39.4 overs and knew by lunchtime that they would need a special effort with the ball to defend that lacklustre total in the bright Kennards sunshine
Bella Armstrong top-scored for the hosts with 65 and formed the only substantial partnership of the innings with WHITE FERN Brooke Halliday as the pair put on 79 for the fourth wicket... the next highest Hearts stand was just 21, however.
Northern captain Jess Watkin use seven bowlers including herself, Kayley Knight again outstanding and netting 3/31 with her pace and bounce. Spinner Nensi Patel did the mopping up with 4/36.
ND made a fast start to chase, the bonus point dangling like a carrot, Watkin leading the way with 31 off just 25 balls
After she departed to swing star Bree Illing (2/31), Caitlin Gurrey (45, continuing her good form) and Patel (an unbeaten 33*) put on 67 for the fourth to ensure ND stayed on track to a big win, chasing it down inside just 29 overs.

ROUND SIX • Sunday 14 December 2025

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Otago Sparks captain Felicity Robertson had a blinder in Palmerston North, celebrating not just two wins but her second century in the Otago colours (after two for ND, including in ND's only Final appearance): 123 off 132 balls. The veteran had solid support from Saffron Wilson (74) in a 159-run second wicket stand in a total of 316/5 - the second biggest total in the Sparks' history, and their new record against the Hinds
The Hinds could only take consolation from new spinner Lizzy Cohr doing it again and taking a four-for, her third in four games simce her debut in Round Two, but today's was the most expensive after the Sparks took control at the death
The Hinds could also be consoled by young gun Emma McLeod's 72, giving McLeod consecutive scores of 30, 139 not out, 62 and 72 in Palmerston North this season
Anika Todd, formerly of the Hearts, made her Sparks debut and took two wickets, while spinner Chloe Deerness continued to enjoy her weekend with 3/50
Jess Kerr's brilliant 7/18 (just her second HBJ bag) was clearly the standout performance in Rangiora where the Blaze rolled the Mags for 151 in 32.2 overs, despite Izzy Sharp's career best effort of 67
But Sharp did it almost alone for her maiden half century, leaving the Blaze with a regulation chase that they completed in 39.5 overs without a great deal of bother, inside 40 overs
All eyes were on Kennards though, where the struggle for the top of the table bragging rights at the intermission were taking place
ND captain Watkin led from the top with 50 on the nose, while Gurrey continued her consistent form with a bittersweet 99 at run-a-ball pace, run out by a sharp Josie Penfold throw while going for a second run (the first run counted towards her score): just inches from a seventh List A ton.
Maddy Green used a full roster of eight bowlers trying to stem the damage, with Holly Topp also continuing her good weekend and adding an injection of runs in the lower order
On a good day the Hearts could still have chased down 263, but after Kayley Knight skimmed off both openers - both caught behind by Topp, the task got a lot harder. Brooke Halliday's 30 was the top score for Auckland as they crumpled
Knight finished with a fine 4/28 (her best is 7/35), and it was also happy days for spinners Nensi Patel (3/34) and Watkin herself (3/24) in another solid win over the former frontrunners.