Our CENTRAL STAGS and HINDS are in sun-soaked New Plymouth and excited for two cracking days of Dream11 Super Smash entertainment, building up to the New Year at stunning Pukekura Park.

Ticket sales (available online here) have been red hot for both the traditional December 30 and 31 T20 doubleheader match days, the Hinds and Stags playing the Canterbury Magicians and Kings at 11am and 2.40pm tomorrow (30 Dec) and then Northern Brave's men and women on New Year's Eve (10am and 1.40pm) - with New Plymouth's free Festival of Lights on right next door for a wonderful all-round family day out.

LAST DAY! GET ALL 6 GAMES AT AN AMAZING PRICE

Both days are big matches for the teams who attracted a fantastic, 2000-strong home crowd for their first round in Palmerston North two days ago.

The Hinds faced a tough first-up challenge against star-studded Wellington Blaze who extended their phenomenal T20 winning streak to 13 matches, winning by 46 runs.

The show was not without its Hinds highlights however, GEORGIA ATKINSON performing a one-handed, Michael Jordanesque leaping catch right on the boundary that is already going viral and being talked up as the catch of the summer.

All images | PHOTOSPORT

 

Nineteen-year-old left-arm spinning allrounder FLORA DEVONSHIRE also made an impressive debut, the tidiest of the Hinds attack who nervelessly opened the bowling with the first over of the season in her first game.

The Hinds have expanded their squad to 13, bringing back another young spinning allrounder in ASHTUTI KUMAR in an otherwise unchanged squad for another big game in round two - set to go up against Amy Satterthwaite's Canterbury Magicians.

The Magicians sit equal on points with the Blaze at the top of the women's table after going two from two in their early matches, while the Canterbury Kings are one from two.

The Kings won their Pukekura Park clash last season and TOM BRUCE's Central Stags will be eager to turn the tables in the rematch tomorrow.

Bruce and fellow big hitter JOSH CLARKSON (below) are both coming off fast fifties in the first round - when they came within a whisker of beating the Wellington Firebirds in an extraordinary high-scoring chase.

The Firebirds had put 214/6 on the scoreboard after an explosive start, with three Stags bowlers - leg-spinner BRETT JOHNSON, ex-Brave star BRETT RANDELL and left-arm hometown hero RAY TOOLE all on Dream11 Super Smash debut for the Stags, after leading T20 bowler SETH RANCE suffered pain in his shoulder in warm-ups and became a late scratching.

Johnson enjoyed a special moment on debut when he had his only brother, Wellington Firebirds batsman Troy Johnson, caught by GREG HAY for his maiden T20 and Stags wicket.

It was one of three catches for Hay which is just one shy of the Stags T20 record held by a fellow Nelsonian, WILLIE LUDICK, as the Stags fought back with the trio of tight spinners, Johnson, Bruce and JAYDEN LENNOX delivering 12 overs between them.

The Stags' reply was the inverse of the Firebirds innings, the hosts getting off to a slow start but gathering pace for a thrilling and explosive finish.

Clarkson put one onto Fitzherbert Avenue as he and Bruce slammed seven sixes between them, the big, beefy hitter whacking his seventh T20 half ton off just 22 balls and Bruce slamming his fifty off just 21 balls, to the delight of the crowd who lived every moment as the Stags looked on to chase down an unlikely win.

Had it not been for an incredibly athletic piece of outfielding from Troy Johnson at the death that stopped Bruce from getting yet another six - the batsmen having to settle for two runs - the Stags, indeed, would have won; the Firebirds instead getting the points with a last-ball, two-run victory.

No one went home disappointed after such a bomb show on a beautiful afternoon but this time the Stags want the points, and have brought in Hawke's Bay duo LIAM DUDDING (who is in line for a T20 debut) and BAYLEY WIGGINS for an expanded squad of 13 for Pukekura Park, Rance out of action for now with the sore shoulder.

Spectators are strongly advised to arrive with plenty of time to minimise queuing and missing the action at the boutique ground - gates open at 10am tomorrow (30 Dec) with the Hinds toss at 10.30am and the the Stags match set to follow with first ball at 2.40pm.

It's also the last chance today to buy a Mates Pack or Pukekura Park Pass saver deal online, while Family Pass savers will be available at the gate tomorrow, as well as online.

Your ticket gets you into both games on the day!

FAQ: What can I bring in?

Both matches are live and on demand at Spark Sport and livescored here at www.cdcricket.co.nz. The Stags v Kings match is also live and free to air on TVNZ Duke... but there is nothing like being there to watch the big hits, so get your tickets now before it's too late.

* Please note the match times for 31 December are one hour earlier than on 30 December *

DREAM11 SUPER SMASH • ROUND TWO

Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

11am & 2.40pm, 30 December, 2022

Hinds toss: 10.30am

Stags toss: 2.10pm

Your ticket gets you into both games

What can I bring?

CENTRAL HINDS

v

Canterbury Magicians

Jess Watkin (captain) — Manawatu

Georgia Atkinson — Manawatu

Ocean Bartlett — Wairarapa

Emily Cunningham — Taranaki

Flora Devonshire — Hawke’s Bay

Natalie Dodd (v-c, wicketkeeper) — Taranaki

Claudia Green — Nelson

Mikaela Greig — Manawatu

Melissa Hansen — Wairarapa

Ashtuti Kumar — Manawatu

Rosemary Mair — Hawke’s Bay

Hannah Rowe — Manawatu

Kerry Tomlinson — Hawke’s Bay

COACH • Jamie Watkins

CENTRAL STAGS

v

Canterbury Kings

Tom Bruce (captain) — Taranaki

Doug Bracewell — Hawke’s Bay

Josh Clarkson — Nelson

Dane Cleaver (wicketkeeper) — Manawatu

Liam Dudding — Hawke’s Bay (uncapped)

Greg Hay — Nelson

Brett Johnson — Hawke’s Bay

Jayden Lennox — Hawke’s Bay

Brett Randell

Ben Smith — Whanganui

Ross Taylor — Manawatu/Wairarapa

Ray Toole  — Manawatu

Bayley Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay

COACH • Rob Walter

Unavailable contracted players

Ajaz Patel (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Blair Tickner (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Will Young (BLACKCAPS in Pakistan)

Joey Field (shoulder injury)

Seth Rance (shoulder injury)

Article added: Thursday 29 December 2022