2021/22 Hallyburton Johnston Shield Final Preview (Wellington vs Otago)
Having rolled through Aotearoa's Super Smash undefeated, Wellington wahine are 5-0 heading into the Hallyburton Johnston Shield final against Otago this weekend. Most HBJ Shield teams had half their games wiped away by Papatuanuku and Ranginui, with Wellington the only team to play five games. Combine that with Northern winning more games (4-2) than Otago (3-2) but missing out on a finals spot via net-run-rate and this is a niggly competition to assess.
The easiest way to break down general HBJ Shield matters is to combine it with Super Smash...
Wellington: 15-0.
Otago: 10-5.
Auckland: 6-10.
Canterbury: 5-11.
Northern: 5-11.
Central: 4-10.
That clearly tells us who the best wahine cricket teams are in Aotearoa. This also tells the story about a hefty gap between Wellington, then Otago and then the rest of the domestic circuit. To confuse matters even further there is the White Ferns series vs India being concluded today and Aotearoa continues their warm up phase of the World Cup with a fixture against Pakistan on Sunday (then vs Australia on Tuesday). This leaves Wellington and Otago without the players who are responsible for the bulk of their HBJ Shield and Super Smash mahi.
Wellington will be without Maddy Green and Amelia Kerr who are two of three Wellington batters to score 100+ runs. Amelia Kerr also leads Wellington bowlers with 14w @ 11.14avg and while Jess Kerr didn't do much in HBJ Shield, she would have an obvious impact on an HBJ Shield final.
Otago will be without Suzie Bates and Katey Martin who are two of three Otago batters to score 200+ runs. Hayley Jensen joins Martin as the only Otago batters with strike-rates over 100 and Jensen has also taken 6w @ 18.66avg.
Wellington and Otago will however have two of Aotearoa's best cricketers lacing up with Leigh Kasperek and Kate Ebrahim in glorious form. Kasperek has been Aotearoa's best ODI bowler since 2015 and has 10w @ 19.20avg/4.50rpo in the HBJ Shield. Without Green and Amelia Kerr there is also an opportunity for Kasperek to step up with the bat, along with wicket-keeper Jess McFadyen who wasn't required to score many Super Smash runs but has consistently performed well in HBJ Shield.
After averaging below 20 in her first three seasons, McFadyen averaged 60+ for two consecutive seasons and is now in her second season averaging 49. That's four seasons in a row averaging over 45 and Wellington will rely on Kasperek, McFadyen, Georgia Plimmer, Rebecca Burns and Thamsyn Newton to stack their runs.
Supporting Kasperek with the ball will be Maneka Singh and Xara Jetly. Wellington do have options with Newton's seam and the likes of Deanna Doughty, Caitlin King and Natasha Codyre.
Otago's Kate Ebrahim has been the best HBJ Shield batter over the last five years. Since 2016/17 Ebrahim has averaged over 40 for five consecutive seasons and this has escalated more recently with Ebrahim averaging 86 in 2018/19, 60 in 2020/21 and now averaging 71.80 this summer. Ebrahim leads all HBJ Shield run-scorers and how she leads the Otago batting unit will be crucial for the Sparks.
Polly Inglis, Caitlin Blakely and Isabella James have all registered a 50+ score, all three are also averaging 25+ to form Otago's run-scoring engine room. Otago's strongest pocket though is their bowling unit and they are not only the best young bowling unit in Aotearoa, they are all likely to play the final.
Emma Black, Eden Carson, Sophie Oldershaw and Molly Loe were all instrumental in helping Otago crack the Super Smash final. That resulted in the joy of bowling to Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green. Now the young sparks bowlers have a weaker Wellington batting unit to compete with and this provides the most interesting match up for the final. Ebrahim will also play a role with the ball to help tie up an end.
Ebrahim and Kasperek are the best players in this final, both have all sorts of funk surrounding them after being overlooked for the White Ferns World Cup squad. Both will be eager to lead their teams to victory with runs and wickets, although there is also the angle of Wellington and Otago having the best young players in Aotearoa who are routinely overlooked for development opportunities.
Wellington are undefeated in all cricket this summer, making them favourites. Otago are better equipped to deal with a lack of White Ferns though and this may be the moment for Otago's young Sparks to enjoy their breakthrough success.
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