Ex-Gisborne cricketer Knight does her bit in Northern Districts success

Former Gisborne cricketer Kayley Knight played a major role in Northern Districts' victory over Wellington in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-day trophy final in Wellington on Saturday. Photo / Northern Districts Cricket Association

Newly announced White Fern and former Gisborne sportswoman Kayley Knight made a significant contribution on Saturday as Northern Districts won their first national women’s cricket title.

They beat the Wellington Blaze by 67 runs to lift New Zealand Cricket’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield one-day trophy at the Basin Reserve.

Batting at No 10, Knight faced 31 balls for 14 runs – the fourth-highest score of the innings.

Wicketkeeper Holly Topp and Marama Downes, batting at No 8 and No 9, scored 39 and 25 respectively, and No 11 Lucy Boucher scored 12 not out as the lower order dug in to get the Northern Districts total to 182 in 44.4 overs.

Knight, 22, then took two wickets – including that of Wellington skipper and opening batter Georgia Plimmer for 18 – in seven overs of fast bowling. She bowled one maiden and conceded 20 runs.

Wellington were all out for 115 in 41.1 overs. Their top scorer was No 8 batter Isla McKenzie, with 32 runs off 70 balls.

Northern Districts have competed in women’s domestic cricket since November 1999 and had appeared in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final just once before, in March 2020, when they were beaten by the Auckland Hearts.

This summer, Northern Districts lost only one match in the regular season and finished 10 points clear of the field.

After Northern Districts skipper Jess Watkin won the toss and elected to bat, Wellington looked to have gained the upper hand when they took key early wickets, including that of Watkin, given out lbw in the third over.

But the lower order gave Northern Districts a decent total to defend and they then set about dismantling the Wellington batting line-up.

Downes took 3-26 off 10 overs, two of them maidens, and Watkin took 2-25 off 10, one of them a maiden.

The White Ferns face Zimbabwe in the first of three T20s in Hamilton on Wednesday.