Cricket: Canterbury Magicians deny Central Hinds Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final spot

Jess Watkin

The defending champion Central Hinds are out of contention for the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield after a three wicket loss to the Canterbury Magicians at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park on Saturday.

In the first of a double header with Canterbury, of which the Hinds needed to win both to keep hopes alive of a Top 2 finish to make the Grand Final, the match was reduced to 36 overs after rain delays.

Whanganui's Jessica Watkin fell for just two runs to a catch off the bowling of Jess Simmons (2-20) in the third over, and although her opening partner Natalie Dodd (33) batted well on her home ground, the Magicians ran through the rest of the top order at 94-5, including Whanganui players Kerry Tomlinson (8) and Esther Lanser (9).

Magicians skipper Frances Mackay (2-27) and Sarah Asmussen (2-35) were the other standout bowlers.

Manawatu's Hannah Rowe (35) held the line and a couple of lower order Hinds players chipped in with some runs, including Wairarapa's Monique Rees (20 not out), to get the Hinds through to 155-7.

Facing a run rate of 4.31, the Magicians reached their target with four overs to spare, with their eighth wicket pairing of Kirsty Nation (27no) and Gabby Sullivan (10no) putting on the decisive 41-run partnership to get their team out of trouble at 115-7.

While Watkin went wicketless with 0-30 from his seven overs, she assisted in a run out, as Rowe (2-35) and Wairarapa's Melissa Hansen (2-27) were the pick of the bowlers.

Magicians skipper Frances Mackay (33) got runs on top of the order, while Jacinta Savage (28) and Natalie Cox (36) had a key partnership through the middle of the innings, before their dismissals triggered a mini-collapse.

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In the four-day Plunket Shield match at Napier's McLean Park, the Central Stags bowled Northern Districts out for 271 in the 91st over.

Northern Districts recovered well from 105-5, their best scores coming from Bharat Popli (62), and then a crucial lower order partnership between Scott Kuggeleijn (60) and Ish Sodhi (48).

The Stags best bowlers were Hawke's Bay's Blair Tickner (4-59) and Nelson's Willem Ludick (2-51), who got the prize wicket of Mitchell Santner off a catch by Whanganui's Ben Smith.

Whanganui Collegiate old boy Tom Bruce (Taranaki) took 1-24 from his seven overs, with all six Stags bowlers picking up a scalp.