Photo Credit: Central Districts Cricket
The Central Hinds have named their new Hallyburton Johnstone Shield captain for the 2021/22 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield — but she’ll miss the first two rounds this weekend due to Alert Level restrictions.
Natalie Dodd is based in Hamilton, Waikato where she is the Deputy Principal and Acting Prinicipal of a local primary school, and currently in Level 3 lockdown.
Dodd and her team had fingers crossed for a Waikato alert level downgrade this week ahead of this weekend’s first ever Central Hinds matches to be played in Nelson, at Central Districts’ South Island home ground Saxton Oval where they will go up against Suzie Bates’s star-stacked Otago Sparks.
Instead, last summer’s Hinds Player of the Year will be following the live-scoring of the season’s opening two matches from home in the North Island while vice-captain Jess Watkin steps up to lead the side in her absence this weekend.
The Hinds needed to appoint a new one-day captain after incumbent Anlo van Deventer moved to Australia during the off-season to take up a job as team physiotherapist with Brisbane Heat and Queensland Cricket.
Dodd, who has played 24 matches for the New Zealand WHITE FERNS, captained Northern Districts for several seasons earlier in her career before her move to Central Districts three years ago.
“For someone who doesn’t live in the region, who’s not from here originally, it means that they’ve seen leadership qualities in me and seen that I genuinely love being part of the group.
“Obviously Anlo has left some big shoes to fill as a Hallyburton Johnstone Shield-winning captain, but I’m looking forward to putting my flair on things and stepping up into that leadership role.”
Central Hinds Head Coach Jamie Watkins says Dodd was a natural choice for the role, “but we’ve been gutted about the Waikato Alert Level restrictions coming into play, having waited with bated breath for every alert level announcement hoping for some more positive news for Natalie.
“It’s a real shame she now won’t be able to be part of a special weekend for us in Nelson, but Jess Watkin has had a lot of experience as our Dream11 Super Smash captain now, and can slot in and fill the shoes for the time being.”
It’s the first time in 41 years that the Central Hinds will play national Domestic cricket in Nelson.
Both matches are live-scored at nzc.nz and on the NZC app, with the first squads of the NZC Domestic women’s season to be named by noon tomorrow.
HALLYBURTON JOHNSTONE SHIELD
Round One | Saxton Oval, Stoke, Nelson
Central Hinds v Otago Sparks
10.30am
Round Two | Saxton Oval, Stoke, Nelson
Central Hinds v Otago Sparks
10.30am
Matches are livestreamed and live-scored by NZC at www.nzc.nz and on the NZC app
* Level 2 Event attendance protocols apply:
- Maintain at least 1m distancing from other people outside your personal/family/whanau bubble https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/protect-yourself-and-others-from-covid-19/maintain-physical-distancing/#physical-distancing-at-alert-level-2
- Wear a face covering https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/protect-yourself-and-others-from-covid-19/wear-a-face-covering/
- Keep track of where you have been https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/protect-yourself-and-others-from-covid-19/keep-track-of-where-youve-been/
- Get a test if you are unwell https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-testing/get-tested-for-covid-19/
- Maintain good hygiene https://covid19.govt.nz/health-and-wellbeing/protect-yourself-and-others-from-covid-19/maintain-good-hygiene/
- Book your free vaccination https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19-vaccines/how-to-get-a-covid-19-vaccination/book-your-covid-19-vaccination/
