A familiar face has touched down in New Zealand as the excitement builds for a new season of Dream11 Super Smash.

England rep HOLLIE ARMITAGE contributed strongly to an exciting turnaround last summer for the Central Hinds, and she’s back for more — with bells on.

Central Districts Cricket Manager, High Performance DAVE MEIRING said Armitage was looking forward to a Kiwi Christmas as she reconnects with her Hinds family.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Holly back to New Zealand, and to have her services until Round Eight of this season’s campaign.

“Hollie obviously contributed on the scorecards last summer, but her off-the-field impact and contributions were also invaluable to a young group developing a fresh, strong Hinds team culture.

Armitage helped the Hinds grow their T20 game | MBUTCHER

 

“Hollie has strong leadership skills and we really appreciated how readily she shared her knowledge with the group and supported our senior players as well.

“She helped to grow the confidence throughout the team that they can perform well on the T20 stage, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Despite a good one-day record from season to season, the Hinds were coming off a wooden spoon two seasons ago in the shortest format — but winning became a habit in 2023/24.

Reuniting for a second summer | PHOTOSPORT

Armitage provided important impetus at the top as the Hinds’ leading batter, finishing in the top three runscorers nationally with 318 runs at a 120.91 strike rate.

WHITE FERNS stars Melie Kerr and Suzie Bates were the only batters to come in ahead of her.

Complete with a CLAUDIA GREEN hat-trick in a big Seddon Park showdown, one of the team’s most impressive games was brushing aside Northern Brave — who had qualified ahead of them in the sudden-death Elimination Final.

Heroes in Hamilton | MBUTCHER

Armitage top-scored with 78 off just 50 balls in a 34-run win that saw the Hinds progress to their first national T20 Final since 2015/16.

The Blaze ultimately drew on more big-match experience to clinch the tight grand finale - winning by one run, on a weather-impacted, low-scoring DLS afternoon at Eden Park.

But now the slates are clean, the scoreboards ready to be filled in again and Armitage is “really looking forward to being back with the girls.

“We developed really close bonds last season and enjoyed playing our cricket together.

“It’s exciting to have a chance to play for the team again and to hopefully help them on their way towards the big goal of clinching the trophy.”

PHOTOSPORT

The team heads into their fresh T20 campaign coming off three strong one-day wins in the national Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.

That includes back-to-back victories against the Canterbury Magicians in the latest two rounds, and they sit in the national top two as all the teams switch it up now into the shortest format for the summer holiday season.

Armitage will be part of that continuing Hinds T20 storyline under a new coach and captain combo this season, in DEEPAK JOON and MIKAELA GREIG.

Last summer’s Head Coach JACOB ORAM is now in a role with the BLACKCAPS, while former skipper NATALIE DODD has taken a season off after the birth of her first child.

Greig and Armitage ended up squaring off against each other for New Zealand A and England A, respectively, at the end of last season when New Zealand A hosted the England squad.

Armitage scored an unbeaten 120* off just 100 balls to keep England A in the three-match one-say series in Nelson, before Greig captained New Zealand A to a 2-1 series victory two days later - producing her List A career best 84 to get the job done.

Armitage was fresh off her T20 International debut for England at the time, while Greig debuted for the WHITE FERNS in the same series. Armitage’s ODI debut followed in September this year.

A proven gamechanger | PHOTOSPORT

Most recently, “Armo” has been in action for the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and for South Australia in Australia’s domestic one-day comp, the experienced 27-year-old from the north of England closing in now on 3,000 career runs in both formats.

The Hinds begin their new Dream11 Super Smash campaign away to the Otago Sparks in Alexandra on New Year’s Eve — before hitting Nelson for the first home doubleheader days at Saxton Oval, on 4 and 6 January in a “Super Week of Cricket” in the top of the South.

Tickets are on sale now at www.cdcricket.co.nz and every match will also be streamed free to air on TVNZ+

HOLLIE ARMITAGE

right-hand bat

leg-spin bowler

ENGLAND CAREER

3 x ODI • 3 x T20i

LIST A ONE-DAY

98 matches, 2,755 runs @32.41

5x100, HS 131

33 catches

T20 CAREER

143 matches, 2,730 runs @22.01

SR 110.25, 13x50, HS 97

51 catches

Article added: Monday 23 December 2024