Rowe fits Manawatu¯ in schedule
Seam bowler Hannah Rowe will wedge a game for Manawatu¯ in between two international matches.
Rowe was named captain of the Central Hinds team to play a warmup match against India at Mclean Park in Napier yesterday, ahead of the White Ferns’ limitedovers series again India, which starts on Thursday.
Rowe is part of the White Ferns squad for the international series but won’t join them until next week.
That means she will play for Manawatu¯ when they face Taranaki at New Plymouth on Sunday. Her Hinds team-mate, all-rounder Mikaela Greig, was also in the team to play India and will play for Manawatu¯ tomorrow.
The game is the final round of the Central Districts championship, the Mike Shrimpton Trophy.
Greig and Rowe will be a big boost for Manawatu¯ but at the same time Taranaki should also get their Hinds players in opening batters Nat Dodd and Emily Cunningham, as well as bowlers Kate Baxter, Taila Hurley and Monique Rees.
Manawatu¯ coach Warren Herbert has named a couple of new players in the team for this weekend in Catharyn Kane, Ashleigh Hurley and Jasmine Waters.
Kane is returning to cricket after a time away and is a seam-bowling all-rounder.
It will be a debut match for Hurley, an all-rounder who performed well at the Central Districts under-18 tournament, and Waters, who will take the wicketkeeping gloves in the absence of Alice Little.
Otherwise it is a similar team to the past two games.
‘‘We’ve got a pretty handy batting lineup there if they go about their business well,’’ Herbert said.
‘‘They can score at a good clip, which they showed against Hawke’s Bay by putting on a good score.’’
He said they were going to New Plymouth to be competitive and hoped to knock over a good side.
Young batter Ashtuti Kumar will come straight from the national under-18 tournament in Wellington with Central Districts.
Palmerston North Girls’ High School student Kumar has had a good season and even carried the drinks as 12th woman for the Hinds at Fitzherbert Park earlier in the season.
Wairarapa have all but won the Central Districts title, so Manawatu¯ ,would need results to go heavily in their favour for any chance to win the title.
Wairarapa will play Hawke’s Bay this weekend.
This season Manawatu¯ have lost to Wairarapa and their match against Hawke’s Bay was rained off.
Manawatu¯ : Hannah Rowe (captain), Mikaela Greig, Gina Collis, Olivia West, Ashtuti Kumar, Ashleigh Hurley, Jessica Ogden, Jasmine Waters, Amy Johnson, Catherine Larsen, Catharyn Kane, Grace Minnis.