Cricket: Three Whanganui representatives in Central Hinds for Hallyburton Johnstone Shield games with Auckland

Jess Watkin

There will be a stronger Whanganui influence when the Central Hinds resume their Hallyburton Johnstone Shield campaign against home team the Auckland Hearts this weekend at Colin Maiden Park.

Playing the seventh round tomorrow and the eighth round on Sunday, the Hinds have made three changes to the 50-over squad which played the last match in December.

The squad welcomes back Wanganui Women's batter Kerry Tomlinson, who missed the back end of the Dream11 Super Smash with a broken finger.

Taranaki's Emily Cunningham and Wairarapa's Monique Rees step in for current White Fern Rosemary Mair, on international duties, and Kate Baxter who sits out the two rounds.

Wanganui Women's players Esther Lanser and Jess Watkin remain with the squad, with Wairarapa's Anlo van Deventer taking back the captaincy after Watkin and Manawatu's Hannah Rowe were co-captains during the Super Smash.

It is an important two games for both sides.

The Hearts lost last summer's Shield final to the Central Hinds, and will be fired up to extend their lead at the top of this season's points table, having won five of six games.

Meanwhile, the Hinds only have two wins, but were unlucky to suffer two rain outs, and have picked up bonus points to currently sit in third spot.

The first game starts at 10.30am tomorrow.

The Hinds squad is
Anlo van Deventer (c) (Wairarapa); Hannah Rowe (vc) (Manawatū); Georgia Atkinson (Wairarapa); Emily Cunningham (Taranaki); Natalie Dodd (wc) (Taranaki); Claudia Green (Nelson); Mikaela Greig (Manawatū); Melissa Hansen (Wairarapa); Esther Lanser (Whanganui); Monique Rees (Wairarapa); Kerry Tomlinson (Whanganui); Jess Watkin (Whanganui).