2022/23 HBJ Shield: Five Things As HBJ Shield Cricket Swings Back Around
HBJ Shield served up another double-whammy of cricket last weekend with Auckland and Wellington grabbing wins on both days, while Canterbury and Central split their weekend series. Here are five things that sparked up the Niche Cache HBJ Shield antenna...
Katie Perkins and Holly Huddleston's Auckland value
Auckland's two wins over Otago were their first wins of the campaign with veterans Katie Perkins and Holly Huddleston showcasing their mana. Perkins had scores of 113* (92sr) and 94 (88sr) to bump Auckland up to 300+ totals in both games, which is extra funky with Perkins scoring 65 (81sr) in a loss to Wellington a couple weeks ago. Perkins has three scores over 50 in a row and is currently second for HBJ Shield runs, behind Kate Ebrahim.
Huddleston whacked 49* (129sr) with 4w @ 4.9rpo in the first win over Otago, then she took 3w @ 4.4rpo in the second game. Huddleston has 7w @ 16.85avg/4.53rpo in HBJ Shield and along with young seamer Amie Hucker, these two are Auckland's only bowlers currently playing who average below 40 with the ball.
Huddleston is also the only Auckland batter scoring over 100sr. Perkins is one of three Auckland batters who have scored 100+ runs with Saachi Shahri joining Perkins in averaging 30+. Most of Auckland's best mahi comes from Perkins and Huddleston, which was on display in two dominant wins over Otago.
Gabby Sullivan and Kate Anderson Canterbury Form
Unfortunately for Canterbury, they lost to Central with Amy Satterthwaite hitting 103* at Satterthwaite Oval in Christchurch. Anderson was dismissed for a first-ball duck in that game although she did score 141* (117.5sr) the day before, while Sullivan took 2w @ 4.22rpo and 3w @ 4.44rpo over the weekend. Anderson and Sullivan were two of the best Super Smash players and they are grooving along in HBJ Shield...
Kate Anderson
Super Smash: 536 runs @ 59.55avg/115sr, 5 x 50
HBJ Shield: 251 run @ 50.2avg/91sr, 1 x 100, 1 x 50
Gabby Sullivan
Super Smash: 21w @ 12.38avg/5.88rpo
HBJ Shield: 16w @ 12avg/3.52rpo
Northern Keep Battling
Northern lost both games to Wellington last weekend and they are at the bottom of the HBJ Shield ladder with a 2-5 record. In Super Smash, Northern finished a spot ahead of Central via rained-off games but had an equally niggly record of 1-6. Last summer Northern finished last in Super Smash with a 1-9 record and but managed to finish second in HBJ Shield with a 2-4-1 record.
Overseas imports couldn't help Northern in Super Smash this season and they also lost experienced players to the T20 World Cup. Caitlin Gurrey hasn't played this year after hitting four consecutive 50+ scores and a 21*(131sr) in her last outing in December. While Northern's Super Smash campaign was difficult to watch as a solid team kept finding ways to lose games, this HBJ Shield team has a fabulous young tinge that offers intrigue.
Skewing younger doesn't help a team win games (just ask White Ferns) and Northern were rolled for less than 150 in both losses to Wellington. Sam Barriball operates as the Northern matua, while Nensi Patel and Shirya Naidu both have 11w as Northern's best bowlers. Patel is only 20-years-old but she has plenty of experience and she was joined by a bunch of youngsters last weekend; Yasmeen Kareem, Tash Wakelin, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp, Carol Agafili, Lucy Boucher, Kayley Knight, Marama Downes.
Agafili is one of three Northern batters with a strike-rate over 100, only behind veterans Gurry and Eimear Richardson. Patel is ranked fourth for HBJ Shield bowlers and has wickets in eight consecutive games this year.
Young Spinner Check In
Here are the best young spinners in HBJ Shield...
Xara Jetly: 21yrs - 11w @ 11.9avg/3.74rpo
Nensi Patel: 20yrs - 11w @ 17avg/4rpo
Sarah Asmussen: 22yrs - 10w @ 18.2avg/4.78rpo
Ocean Bartlett: 19yrs - 7w @ 14.28avg/5.26rpo
Veteran Batters
There is plenty of young talent in HBJ Shield cricket and some of the seamers in these clips have flashed their abilities as well. The batting is different though and the best batters are all experienced domestic players who play leadership roles in their respective team. Even names that are less familiar such as Caitlin Blakely and Shahri have been on the circuit for a while. Here are the HBJ Shield batters who have scored 200+ runs:
Kate Ebrahim, Katie Perkins, Caitlin Gurrey, Kate Anderson (lots of Kates!), Jess Watkin, Leigh Kasperek, Polly Inglis, Caitling Blakely, Natalie Dodd, Saachi Shahri.
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