NZCT secondary school girls final - Day 1

The New Zealand Community Trust Secondary School Girls’ finals kicked off in beautiful conditions at Owen Delany Park and Kaimanawa Reserve in Taupo today.

Hillcrest High School versus Wanganui Collegiate

Wanganui Collegiate 88 all out – Millie Holden 33*, Shani Fernando 7-12 LOST TO Hillcrest High School 89/2 – Heidi Arndt 38*, Steph Goile 24 by eight wickets.

Hillcrest won the toss and put Wanganui Collegiate in to bat.

Felicity Leydon-Davis had success early on dismissing Wanganui Collegiate captain Hester Nesbitt in her second over.

A strong second wicket partnership of 69 between Millie Holden and Amy McKeefry put Wanganui Collegiate in a good position to post a good total  but Hillcrest had other ideas.

Off-spin bowler Shani Fernando came on to bowl and ripped through Wanganui’s middle and lower order finishing with outstanding figures of 7-12 off her six overs. Wanganui were dismissed for 88 in the 29th over.

Wanganui got off to a great start  with the ball, with Danielle Janes picking up a wicket in her first over to leave Hillcrest High School on 8/2 after two overs.

However, Heidi Arndt and Steph Goile came together and shared an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 81 to see Hillcrest home by eight wickets, with 23 overs to spare.

St Hilda’s Collegiate versus Epsom Girls’ Grammar School

Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 223 /6 – Madaleine Green 100, Mandy MacDonald 3/41 BEAT St Hilda’s Collegiate School 80 all out – Leanne Gray 2/11, Tasnneem Haradasa 2/12 by 143 runs.

St Hilda’s Collegiate won the toss and decided to make the most of the fresh wicket early on in the week by bowling first.

The St Hilda’s bowlers were able to create opportunities early on and put down a tough chance at first slip against Epsom opener Madaleine Green.

Green gladly took her second opportunity and played some beautiful shots all over Kaimanawa Reserve. She was able put on some handy partnerships of 68 for the first wicket with Nicola Jones, 59 for the second with Leanne Gray and 76 for the fourth wicket with Rose Tynan.

Green brought up her 81 ball century in the 37th over. After 40 overs Epsom Girls’ Grammar racked up 223/6.

In reply St Hilda’s Collegiate lost a wicket in the first over but a 28 run stand for the second wicket between Polly Inglis, 18 and Caitlin Blakely, 15 gave them hope.

However, after the loss of their second wicket they struggled to maintain the high run rate due to an all-round bowling performance by the Epsom bowlers.

St Hilda’s were dismissed for 80 in the 29th over.

Christchurch Girls’ High School versus Avondale College

Christchurch Girls’ High School 128 all out – Emma Hartland 38, Hana Mauafu 22, Julia Vito 4-16, Shannen Elliott 3-23 BEAT Avondale College 67 all out – Shannen Elliott 22, Tori Higgs 21*, Emma Hartland 4-7 by 61 runs.

Avondale College won the toss and put Christchurch Girls’ High School in to bat.

Avondale picked up three early wickets to have Christchurch Girls’ 32/3. This brought Hana Mauafu to the wicket and together with Emma Hartland they compiled 52 for the fourth wicket.

Mauafu was dismissed with the score at 84/4 and this sparked a resurgence by the Avondale bowling attack who gained momentum and dismissed Christchurch Girls’ for 128.

Julia Vito was the pick of the Avondale College bowlers claiming four wickets and finishing with figures of 4-16 for 7 overs.

Christchurch Girls’ High School came out firing removing Julia Vito in the third over. Shannen Elliott scored freely for Avondale picking up 22 before losing her wicket due to a stunning catch at mid-on by Lauran Hanham.

Wickets fell regularly with off-spinner Emma Hartland the chief destroyer for Christchurch with fine figure of 4-7 off 2.5 overs.  

Tori Higgs was the only Avondale batsman to show resistance with 21 not out.

Havelock North High School versus Wellington Girls’ College

Havelock North High School 79 all out – Holly MacDonald 27, Kate Southorn 4-18, Courtney Sprott 2-13 BEAT  Wellington Girls’ College 48 all out – Antonia Ward 21, Bridget Dick 5-6, Holly MacDonald 3-14 by 31 runs.

Wellington Girls College won the toss and continued today’s trend of putting the opposition in to bat.

Wellington Girls’ College bowled tidily early on and managed to restrict Havelock North to 14/1 off the first 10 overs.

Havelock North struggled to get momentum and lost wickets regularly. This was largely due to tidy spells from Kate Southorn and Courtney Sprott who picked up 4/18 and 2/13 respectively.

Holly MacDonald played a lone hand during Havelock North’s innings with 27, but struggled for support at the other end and they were dismissed in the 36th over for 79.

Havelock North High School picked up a couple of early wickets but Wellington Girls’ College looked to have steadied the ship at 31/3 with Antonia Ward anchoring one end.

A change in bowling turned the match with Holly MacDonald 3/14 and Bridget Dick 5/6 destroying Wellington’s lower and middle order. They lost the last seven wickets for 17 runs.

Tomorrow’s matches:

Group A

St Hilda’s Collegiate versus Hillcrest High School

Epsom Girls’ Grammar School versus Wanganui Collegiate

Group B

Havelock North High School versus Christchurch Girls’ High School

Avondale College versus Wellington Girls’ College