2023/24 HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
Round 6
Sunday, 10 December 2023
Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui
NORTHERN DISTRICTS beat CANTERBURY MAGICIANS by 60 runs - bonus point win
Northern Districts : 5 points
Canterbury Magicians: 0 points
Selected milestones
- Yssa Cullen: List A Debut
- Jess Watkin: Maiden List A 50 for Northern Districts Women (previously Central Hinds)
- Yssa Cullen: Maiden wicket, career best bowling figures (3/38)
- Frankie Mackay: 5000 List A runs for Canterbury Magicians
- Marama Downes: Career best bowling figures in List A (4/34)
Northern Districts made it two out of two against last season's runner-up the Canterbury Magicians who remain anchored at the wrong end of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield table
This Hallyburton Johnstone Shield clash was a much anticipated day/nighter at Bay Oval and, following the disappointment of the day before when the Magicians fought hard without reward, the Magicians were looking forward to the rematch against hosts Northern Districts.
ND won the toss and elected to bat, making use of the daylight hours and fast outfield.
There was one change in the Magicians line-up with Yssa Cullen making her debut, replacing Bo Lynch and taking the new ball.
The Magicians got off to the perfect start with an early wicket to Nicola Clayton, before debutante Cullen (3/38) got took her first wicket in the sixth over, with a exceptional catch behind the wickets from Laura Hughes - diving full stretch to her right.
The bowlers kept the run rate under control, but found it difficult to make in-roads as a defining 128-run partnership took shape between ND's powerhouse pair, Caitlin Gurrey and Jess Watkin.
Cullen eventually provided the breakthrough in the 30th over. Then she struck again, and then took a catch off Mackay (3/45) as six wickets fell in regular succession in the back 20 overs.
Chasing 261, the Magicians needed a good start and Mackay and Abigale Gerken put on 70 for the first wicket inside the first 15 overs.
Mackay was dismissed for 32, however, as Jesse Prasad found some useful in-swing, then two further wickets fell as the score ticked over 100, with Gerken 39 (63 balls) and Izzy Sharp both departing to spinners Jess Watkin and Nensi Patel, respectively.
A partnership of substance was required and while Jacinta Savage (52) and Natalie Cox (37) were together, it looked likely.
However, after the 70-run partnership was broken with the score at 171, the final six wickets fell quickly, the Magicians dismissed for just 200 in the 44th over.
Marama Downes was their biggest adversary as the pacewoman finished with a career best 4/34, ably backed up by spinner Watkin with her three-for.
