Sims sisters power Central to title

Kate Sims clean bowls Northern District's Lucy Boucher at the national under-15 tourney but unfortunately a no ball was called. PHOTO/WANGANUI CHRONICLE

WAIRARAPA sisters Gemma and Kate Sims were part of the Central Districts team which won the Cricket Express national girls under-15 development cricket tournament in Wanganui last week. It was an improvement of one place on last season's runners-up spot for a Central Districts side whose close-knit approach was not surprising when you consider it included three sets of siblings, the Sims duo being joined by Ana and Kate Gaging from Nelson and Maggie and Cate Pedersen from Hawke's Bay.

Coached by a former Wairarapa and Central Districts senior representative Esther Lanser, the team made their way to the final by tying with Otago and beating Northern Districts by three wickets, Wellington by 10 wickets, Auckland by five wickets, and Christchurch Metro by six wickets. Opposing Central Districts in the decider were Wellington, who had bounced back well from their hefty defeat at the hands of CD in the early rounds and with the threat of rain in the weather forecast, CD skipper Monique Rees, a former pupil of Carterton School, wisely changed the initial game plan and decided to bowl first when she won the toss.

Her pace attack rewarded her with a display of quick and accurate bowling which set up what was to be a seven wicket victory in the end.

Six of the Wellington batters were clean bowled.

As the Wanganui Chronicle reported, Wellington were in big trouble at 26/4 and all but out of it at 54/7, as Anna Gaging, Monique Way, Kate Sims and Maggie Pedersen all took scalps with consecutive balls to be sitting on hat-tricks. Proud coach Lanser lauded the bowling effort, saying it was a far cry from the 50 extras, including 44 wides, the team had given up in their opening match three days previously.

With only 80 runs to defend, Wellington's attack struggled for accuracy with Rees (23) showing great patience to wait for the slow-medium and spin bowling to come on to the bat and then work the ball into the gaps for guaranteed singles and occasional twos.

At 44/0 in the 11th of the allocated 30 overs, Central Districts were in a strong position but Wellington did cause some anxiety when they had Rees out leg before wicket and her opening partner Pederson caught when she tried to hit over the top.

Aimee Wisnewski came and went to leave CD at 52/3 approaching the drinks break, but Saffron Wilson (12 n/o) and Way (8 n/o) put on the final 30 runs in quick order, helped by Wellington still sending down wides and misfielding behind the stumps.

Central Districts reached their target in the 20th over. As if on cue, the rain set in moments before Wilson struck the winning runs.

The title victory was a fitting farewell for the six CD players who came runners-up in this tournament last summer, as they along with three other teammates have aged out, meaning it will be a virtually all-new squad next summer. For Rees, it was her second national title in three weeks after being part of the successful Central Districts Under-21 squad just before Christmas.

She said the key over the four days was the entire team had performed well, sharing runs and wickets alike, which had the side effect of only three of them -- herself, Gaging, and Margot Scoular -- being electronically selected in the tournament's 'dream team', which was chosen from the best 12 players bowling, batting and fielding statistics, collected on the CricHq website.

"But that's okay. Everyone gets the victory in the end," said Rees.

"No-one's really doing everything -- we've all pitched in and had our moments."

Rees praised coach Lanser, who is a proponent of player psychology -- getting them relaxed with yoga and meditation.