January’s a big month for aspiring female Domestic cricketers, starting with New Zealand’s Under-19 national championship that begins this Saturday.

Young Central Hinds and NZU19 star EMMA MCLEOD is looking to add the 2023/24 NZC Gillette Venus Women’s Under 19 title to her already impressive cricketing CV, just weeks after having captained St Matthew’s Collegiate, from Masterton in Wairarapa, to glory at the NZC Venus Cup Secondary School Girls’ national finals.

The upcoming Under 19 nationals take place at the same venue: NZC’s purpose-built, three-ground High Performance Centre in Lincoln, Canterbury, and sees players tested in both the one-day and T20 formats - with the last game on the morning of Friday, 12 January, after which the champion side will be crowned.

CD Under 19 Women has the strongest record of any team at this level, the Under 19 championships having replaced the former U21 age-group tier several years ago. CD was regular winners at the U21 Nationals, too.

McLeod will be joined by fellow contracted Central Hind and Hawke’s Bay pace bowler ANIELA APPERLEY as well as two of McLeod’s St Matt’s teammates in LUCY JURLINA and VANESSA TAYLOR.

ANIELA APPERLEY | PHOTOSPORT

The squad also features Hawke’s Bay’s REESE DRAGER (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) who helped CD to lift the inaugural NZC national trophy for Wāhine Māori at the start of this summer.

McLeod has already represented New Zealand at an ICC Under 19 World Cup (in South Africa at the start of 2023) and is a veteran of the experienced CD U19 side, along with many of her teammates.

MCLEOD DEBUTED AT THESE NATIONALS IN EARLY 2021 | PHOTOSPORT

McLeod, Apperley, Drager, Taylor, GRETEL FAIRBROTHER, GRACE FOREMAN and ABBY TREDER were all part of the squad that finished as runner-up at last year’s nationals, while McLeod, Apperley, Fairbrother and Foreman were also part of the victorious side of 2021/22 that won this trophy for a second time in the space of three seasons.

The squad will be coached by Central Hind KERRY TOMLINSON with Taranaki’s AMY FOREMAN serving as Assistant Coach and Manager, and CD’s Female Pathways and Performance Coach JAMIE WATKINS says the experience within the group should stand the team in good stead.

2021/22 CHAMPIONS | PHOTOSPORT

“We’re fortunate to have a cohort of players who have become used to performing at these kinds of nationals, and in Emma’s case, on the world stage.

“Many of the players have also now played a lot of cricket with each other, which is not always the case in a far-flung region like CD.

“The girls will bring a good knowledge of each other’s games to Lincoln, as well as a tight team bond, and set their goals high.”

All matches are livescored at www.cdcricket.co.nz with two of CD’s matches also livestreamed.

Meanwhile, Central Districts Cricket is excited to again be staging what’s effectively the national Under 17 tournament for girls — an Under 17 T20 invitational tournament set to take place in Palmerston North from 15 to 18 January.

Five Major Associations (Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Otago and CD) will field an Under 17 girls’ team this season while CD will also field an additional team of U17 and U18 players combined, with squad announcements and details to follow next week. 

CENTRAL DISTRICTS UNDER 19 WOMEN

2023/24

NZC Gillette Venus Women’s Under 19 Nationals

Lincoln, Canterbury

Emma McLeod (c) - Wairarapa

Grace Foreman - Taranaki

Abby Treder - Manawatū

Aniela Apperley - Hawke’s Bay

Gretel Fairbrother - Hawke’s Bay

Reese Drager - Hawke’s Bay

Vanessa Taylor - Wairarapa

Sophie Campbell (w) - Taranaki

Catherine Hockly - Nelson

Cara Hollard - Taranaki

Ella Hogan - Manawatū

Caitlin Marshall - Taranaki

Lucy Jurlina - Wairarapa

Non travelling reserves

Sally Booth – Wairarapa

Gemma Lovewell – Manawatū

Summer Lovegrove – Manawatū

Charlotte Butler – Taranaki

Head Coach Kerry Tomlinson (Hawke’s Bay)

Assistant Coach and Manager Amy Foreman (Taranaki)

SCHEDULE

10.15am Saturday, 6 January (one-day)

Lincoln No.3 ground, Lincoln

CD U19 v Otago U19

10am Sunday, 7 January (one-day)

Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln

CD U19 v Canterbury U19

Free livestream at 
www.cdcricket.co.nz

10.15am Monday, 8 January (one-day)

Lincoln No.3 ground, Lincoln

CD U19 v Wellington U19

10.30am Wednesday, 10 January (one-day)

Lincoln Green, Lincoln

CD U19 v Auckland U19

10am Thursday, 11 January (T20)

Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln

CD U19 v Northern Districts U19 

Free livestream at 
www.cdcricket.co.nz

2.30pm Thursday, 11 January (T20)

Lincoln Green, Lincoln

CD U19 v Auckland U19

10am Friday, 12 January (T20)

Lincoln Green, Lincoln

CD U19 v Canterbury U19

Article added: Wednesday 3 January 2024