Strong Wanganui flavour to new women's Central Super League cricket draft

Former Cricket Wanganui boss Dilan Raj will coach the Palmerston North Tui, one of four franchise teams in the new Central Super League. Photo / Bevan Conley

The inaugural player draft has been made and the coaches announced for women cricket's new Central Super League.

Drawn from throughout the Central Districts Cricket Association (CDCA) region, Warren Herbert (Coastal Challenger Levin), Debu Banik (New Plymouth Power), Brady Barnett (Tararua Kotahi) and former Cricket Wanganui chief Dilan Raj (Palmerston North Tui) will guide the four franchise teams that begin the contest for the inaugural trophy in Palmerston North on Saturday, November 28.

Following the announcement last week of each team's marquee player, including Wanganui allrounder Jess Watkin, a tiered draft system ensured an even spread of Central Hinds talent across the four franchise teams, aligning with the goal of raising the game of emerging players.

Watkin will lead the Coasta Challengers X1, to be coached by Whanganui Collegiate School's 1st X1 coach Warren Herbert.

"It was very exciting to conduct the inaugural draw this morning over Zoom, and I'm excited myself to see the make-up of the teams," said Jamie Watkins, CD coach, Female Performance and Pathways.

"I'm sure it will be stimulating for the likes of Kate Gaging [from Nelson] to have the opportunity to train and play alongside and just talk cricket with such experienced North Island-based Hinds like Anlo van Deventer and Melissa Hansen.

"We will have some really interesting match-ups across the 52 players, both in the one-day and T20 formats and that's what the CSL is all about: creating greater connectivity in the women's game across our entire CDCA region."

Players unavailable for this year's draft were Central Hinds and White Ferns seamer Rosemary Mair, who remains in Australia on standby for the WBBL; Cate Pedersen (Hawke's Bay, injury); and Charlotte Stent (Taranaki, injury).

Jordan Bolger (Taranaki) and Erin Buckland (Horowhenua-Kāpiti) are designated reserves for the league, while Pedersen and Stent could be called into February's T20 rounds.

CENTRAL SUPER LEAGUE TEAMS
Palmerston North Tui
Hannah Rowe (Manawatū)
Georgia Atkinson (Manawatū)
Ocean Bartlett (Wairarapa)
Tayla Brown (Nelson)
Sarah Calkin (Manawatū)
Gracie Donaldson (Wairarapa)
Ashleigh Hurley (Manawatū)
Ashtuti Kumar (Manawatū)
Sam MacKinder (Manawatū)
Jasmine Odell (Manawatū)
Jessica Ogden (Manawatū)
Sarah Parker (Taranaki)
Olivia West (Manawatū)
Coach: Dilan Raj

New Plymouth Power
Natalie Dodd (Taranaki)
Nellie Chapman (Taranaki)
Emily Cunningham (Taranaki)
Amy Foreman (Taranaki)
Claudia Green (Nelson)
Jess Hollard (Taranaki)
Taila Hurley (Taranaki)
Kelsey Husband (Taranaki)
Lucy Mitchell (Taranaki)
Lydia Proffit (Taranaki)
Margot Scoular (Hawke's Bay)
Georgia Wells (Nelson)
Aimee Wisnewski (Taranaki)
Coach: Debu Banik

Tararua Kotahi
Anlo van Deventer (Wairarapa)
Olivia Clark (Wairarapa)
Elizabeth Cohr (Wairarapa)
Kate Gaging (Nelson)
Melissa Hansen (Wairarapa)
Kayarna Jones-Dennes (Wairarapa)
Emma McLeod (Wairarapa)
Sophie Pyott (Hawke's Bay)
Monique Rees (Wairarapa)
Olivia Roseingrave (Wairarapa)
Gemma Sims (Wairarapa)
Ella Southey (Wairarapa)
Ella Ranson (Nelson)
Coach: Brady Barnett

Coastal Challengers Levin
Jess Watkin (Wanganui)
Aniela Apperly (Hawke's Bay)
Kate Baxter (Taranaki)
Ayesha Carley-Hendry (Horowhenua-Kāpiti)
Flora Devonshire (Hawke's Bay)
Anna Gaging (Nelson)
Mikaela Greig (Manawatū)
Amy Johnson (Manawatū)
Sofia Kersten (Nelson)
Esther Lanser (Hawke's Bay)
Olivia Mairs (Hawke's Bay)
Kerry Tomlinson (Hawke's Bay)
Zoe Yeo (Horowhenua-Kāpiti)
Coach: Warren Herbert

2020/21 CentralSuperLeague
Round 1 (50 overs) Saturday 28 November, Manawaroa Park, Palmerston North
Round 2 (50 overs) Sunday 29 November, Manawaroa Park, Palmerston North
Round 3 (T20) Saturday 27 February, Donnelly Park, Levin
Round 4 (T20) Saturday 27 February, Donnelly Park, Levin
Round 5 (T20) Sunday 28 February, Donnelly Park, Levin
Round 6 (T20) Sunday 28 February, Donnelly Park, Levin