Women cricketers on the up

PB Cricket Association appreciates what Mel Knight has done for the sport in the district. Knight is pictured in action. File picture

SIX Poverty Bay women cricketers will trial for the Northern Spirit and ND under-12 teams in Auckland on Sunday.

“Realisically I’d expect Mel (Knight, Bay captain) and Kerry (Tomlinson) to be named in the senior team, the Spirit, with the others vying for places in the u21 squad,” said Bay women’s coach David McDonald.

“The ND selectors have named 24 players — including Gisborne’s Knight, Tomlinson, Lucy McHugh, Nicole Torrie, Tayla Hollis and Tessa McDonald — for two teams to play their Auckland counterparts, and I wouldn’t be suprised if Mel wasn’t named as captain of one of the trial teams.

“Mel and Kerry have both played for the Spirit and a good performances on Sunday should see them named, when the squad is announced the following day.

“I’m not sure when the u21 squad will be named but you’d expect it to be named shortly after the senior squad, who play Wellington on November 27 in a T20 game and an ODI match the following day.

“You never know, good performances this weekend could see some of the younger players make the top team but I think their best chances are with the u21 team."

McDonald said the Bay’s Kate Atarmia (nee Johnston) was not available for the trials games.

“Katie has just had a promotion with the Auckland branch of the ANZ Bank and she just couldn’t commit to the cricket season."

The six Bay players on trial this weekend were in action in Auckland at the weekend, winning one and losing two of their T20 games in the ND T20 tournament.

“There wasn’t much in the games we lost, (against Northland/Counties Manukau and Hamilton) just one partnership missing or a dropped catch . . . that’s the nature of T20 cricket,” David McDonald said.

“We competed well but were probably a little bit under done match-wise.”

The Northern Spirit team are coached by Emily Drumm, former captain of the New Zealand women’s team, which won the 2000 Cricket World Cup.