Central Hinds

History

Central Districts Cricket Association comprises eight District Associations: Hawke's Bay, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Manawatu, Taranaki, Wairarapa and Whanganui in the North Island, and Marlborough and Nelson in the South Island.

Central Districts first joined the national Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in the 1979–80 season, finishing fourth with one win and three draws. In 1982–83, they finished second for the first time, behind Canterbury, who dominated the period.

The Central Hinds won their first title in 2005–06 (when the national women's one-day competition was named the State League), finishing second in the group stage before beating Canterbury in the final - helped by three wickets from Zara McWilliams and 55* from Sara McGlashan. They were the runner-up in 2007–08 before winning their second one-day title in 2009–10, with the final rained off and lifting the trophy as they had topped the group stage. They also won their only Super Smash title the same season, beating Auckland in the final by eight wickets.

The Central Hinds won their third one-day title in 2018–19, topping the group stage before beating the Auckland Hearts in a home final at Pukekura Park. Central Hinds batter Natalie Dodd was the leading run-scorer in the competition, with 652 runs.

Dodd and then-captain Anlo van Deventer set a New Zealand women's List A partnership record (all wickets) of 328 during the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, for the second wicket against the Otago Sparks at Fitzherbert Park on 3 March 2019. In December 2019, Dodd and Jess Watkin set a national first-wicket record in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield with a partnership of 216 at Karori Park, Wellington.

The side was runner-up in the 2023–24 Super Smash, making the final for the first time since 2016. They lost to Wellington by one run (DLS) on the final ball of the match.

Grounds

The team's first primary home ground was Manawaroa Park, Palmerston North, with some matches played at Ongley Park in the same city.

In the 1990s, the side began playing at Victoria Park, Whanganui, as well as Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North. In 1998, the team began playing in Napier, especially at Nelson Park, but also later at McLean Park. From the 2000s, their primary grounds were Pukekura Park, New Plymouth and Fitzherbert Park, along with stints at grounds such as Queen Elizabeth Park and Cornwall Park, Hastings.

Since 2020–21, the Central Hinds have primarily used Pukekura Park, McLean Park, Fitzherbert Park and (from 2021–22) Saxton Oval, Nelson, and play both their home and away Super Smash matches as doubleheaders with the Central Stags.

Players

2025/26 contracted squad

• Number denotes the player's squad number, as worn on the back of their shirt.
• denotes players with international caps.

Notable players

Players who have played for Central Districts and played internationally are listed below, in order of first international appearance (given in brackets):

• NZL Viv Sexton (1978)
• NZL Linda Fraser (1982)
• NZL Di Caird (1984)
• NZL Rose Signal (1984)
• NZL Liz Signal (1984)
• NZL Jackie Clark (1984)
• NZL Penny Kinsella (1988)
• NZL Trudy Anderson (1993)
• NZL Karen Musson (1993)
• NZL Delwyn Brownlee (1995)
• ENG Clare Connor (1995)
• NZL Helen Daly (1996)
• NZL Rebecca Rolls (1997)
• NZL Rachel Pullar (1997)
• NZL Kate Pulford (1999)
• NZL Donna Trow (1999)
• ENG Hannah Lloyd (1999)
• NZL Paula Gruber (2000)
• NZL Erin McDonald (2000)
• NZL Emily Travers (2000)
• NZL Aimee Watkins (2002)
• NZL Sara McGlashan (2003)
• IRE Eimear Richardson (2005)
• NZL Rachel Priest (2007)
• NZL Rachel Candy (2007)
• NZL Abby Burrows (2009)
• NZL Natalie Dodd (2010)
• NZL Kate Ebrahim (2010)
• NZL Liz Perry (2010)
• Netherlands Esther Lanser (2010)
• Netherlands Kerry-Anne Tomlinson (2011)
• NZL Thamsyn Newton (2015)
• NZL Hannah Rowe (2015)
• NZL Jess Watkin (2018)
• SCO Priyanaz Chatterji (2018)
• NZL Rosemary Mair (2019)
• NZL Rebecca Burns (2022)
• NZL Mikaela Greig (2024)
• ENG Hollie Armitage (2024)
• NZL Emma McLeod (2025)
• NZL Flora Devonshire (2025)

Players who have played for Central Districts and played internationally in sports other than cricket or indoor cricket are listed below:

• NZL Kendra Cocksedge - rugby union
• NZL Liz Perry - field hockey double international
• NZL Rebecca Rolls - association football double international

Honours

• Hallyburton Johnstone Shield:
  • Winners (3): 2005–06, 2009–10, 2018–19
• Women's Super Smash:
  • Winners (1): 2009–10

References

References

1. (2007). "Central Districts Cricket Association/Districts". Central Districts Cricket Association.
2. "Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 1979–80". CricketArchive.
3. "Hansells Cup 1982–83". CricketArchive.
4. "State League 2005–06/Points Table". CricketArchive.
5. "Canterbury Women v Central Districts Women, 28 January 2006". CricketArchive.
6. "State League 2007/08". CricketArchive.
7. "New Zealand Cricket Women's One Day Competition 2009–10". CricketArchive.
8. "Central Districts Women v Auckland Women, 30 January 2010". CricketArchive.
9. "Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 2018–19". CricketArchive.
10. "Batting and Fielding in Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 2018–19 (Ordered by Runs)". CricketArchive.
11. (3 March 2019). "Hinds smash massive NZ 2nd wicket record".
12. "Watkin & Dodd Break NZ Record".
13. (28 January 2024). "Turn and burn: Blaze wins nailbiting Grand Final".
14. "Women's First-Class Matches played by Central Districts Women". CricketArchive.
15. "Women's List A Matches played by Central Districts Women". CricketArchive.
16. "Women's Twenty20 Matches played by Central Districts Women". CricketArchive.
17. "Central Districts Women Players". CricketArchive.