It was a hard-fought week in Lincoln, but Auckland's Under 19 Women proved yet again that they are the team to beat at nationals, with back-to-back crowns.
Auckland won six of their seven matches across the two white-ball formats, leaving runners-up Northern Districts and Central Districts, who finished a whisker behind in third spot, to fight it out for the remaining podium spots, both those teams banking five wins.
Auckland had their title sewn up even before the final day's T20 round, and finished four points clear of ND after the hotly contested tournament.
Wairarapa's Vanessa Taylor (Central Districts, above left) finished as the top run-scorer with 376 runs at a 79.00 average, including her century and two half centuries.
Taylor was right at home in Lincoln after having helped St Matthew's Collegiate win the national secondary schools title here last season.
Northern Districts senior rep Tash Wakelin (above right) was the bowling star, with 12 wickets at an average of just 7.83 across the busy week.
The second edition of the ICC Women's U19 World Cup is set to take place in Malaysia, from 18 January to 2 February 2025.
New Zealand's squad is to be announced, and the tournament will have given selectors great food for thought.
Congratulations to all the players who competed in Lincoln for their Domestic regions, and to champions Auckland on a convincing title.
How it unfolded:
ONE-DAY ROUNDS
Round 1
- Central Districts beat Otago by 27 runs
- Auckland beat Northern Districts by 10 wickets
- Canterbury beat Wellington by 2 wickets
Round 2
- Northern Districts beat Central Districts by 2 wickets
- Canterbury beat Otago by 144 runs
- Wellington beat Auckland by 133 runs
Round 3
- Auckland beat Canterbury by 204 runs
- Central Districts beat Wellington by 3 wickets
- Northern Districts beat Otago by 169 runs
Round 4
- Auckland beat Otago by 191 runs
- Northern Districts beat Wellington by 5 wickets
- Central Districts beat Canterbury by 9 wickets
T20 ROUNDS
Round 5
- Auckland beat Central Districts by 74 runs
- Northern Districts beat Canterbury by 1 wicket
- Wellington beat Otago by 7 wickets
Round 6
- Central Districts beat Otago by 26 runs
- Wellington beat Northern Districts by 8 runs
- Auckland beat Canterbury by 71 runs
Round 7
- Central Districts beat Canterbury by 8 wickets
- Northern Districts beat Otago by 50 runs
- Auckland beat Wellington by 36 runs
CHAMPION: AUCKLAND CRICKET
Final Points:
24 Auckland
20 Northern Districts
19 Central Districts
11 Wellington
10 Canterbury
0 Otago
