The HEARTS will officially begin their 2023/24 season this weekend with the first Hallyburton Johnstone Shield double header against Northern Districts at Cobham Oval.

With some WHITEFERNS players available alongside HEARTS regulars and some new blood, Auckland have named a strong looking squad to face their Northern neighbours for two matches on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 of November.

Maddy Green, having joined the HEARTS again after representing the Wellington Blaze for the last four seasons, will lead the team for the first time since 2018/19.

31-year old Green’s experience will cover the hole left by Katie Perkin’s retirement at the end of 2022/23. Perkins was the leading runscorer for the HEARTS in last year’s competition but Green brings pedigree of her own with her run-a-ball 106 in last season’s final leading Wellington Blaze to the title.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, experience-wise, Rishika Jaswal is in line for a potential debut.

The Parnell leg-spinning allrounder, who turns 17 during Sunday’s match, has impressed in club and representative ricket for the last few seasons and could be in line to don the blue for the first time in the absence of Fran Jonas and Makayla Templeton, who are out with injuries.

Joining Jonas and Templeton on the injury bench is Brooke Halliday, who misses the opportunity to take on her former team after moving to Auckland to represent the HEARTS for the first time.

The Hallyburton Johnstone Shield is contested over 10 rounds and is split into pre and post-Super Smash rounds, all taking place over weekend double headers.

The action kicks off at Hagley Oval at 10:30am tomorrow with live scoring and live streaming at scoring.nzc.nz.

Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Rounds One & Two
Auckland HEARTS vs. Northern Districts
18 & 19 November, 2023
10:30am start

Bella Armstrong (Cornwall)

Skye Bowden (Howick Pakuranga)

Anna Browning (Takapuna)

Prue Catton (Auckland University)

Izzy Gaze (Takapuna)

Maddy Green (Cornwall) (c)

Amie Hucker (Cornwall)

Breearne Illing (Cornwall)

Rishika Jaswal (Parnell)

Josie Penfold (Howick Pakuranga)

Molly Penfold (Howick Pakuranga)

Saachi Shahri (Howick Pakuranga)

Article added: Friday 17 November 2023