Central’s well performing Stags and Hinds head into key one-day matches this weekend, the Stags at home in Napier this Saturday, and the Hinds away in Auckland on Saturday and Sunday as both teams look to break away from congested tables to qualify for national Finals.

All three games are against Auckland, the Stags coming off Wednesday’s gutsy 18-run win away in Wellington to leapfrog the Auckland Aces into second spot in The Ford Trophy. 

The Stags are looking to fortify that position with a win tomorrow at McLean Park, Blair Tickner (below) returning from a short injury management break to an otherwise unchanged squad, at the expense of fellow pace bowler Joey Field.

PHOTOSPORT

Leader and reigning title-holder Canterbury — who meanwhile slam-dunked the Aces on Thursday in Wednesday’s sixth round, is the only side in front. 

The Hinds spend the Waitangi long weekend at Eden Park’s Kennards Hire Community Oval looking to climb back up the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield table.

It’s the first one-dayers since the Super Smash and, while the Hinds are fourth after six of 10 rounds, they’re also just one point behind the opponent they play twice this weekend, a maximum of 10 points up for grabs.

All four of the Hinds’ last four regular-season one-dayers are away, the last rounds in Mount Maunganui to follow, against current leader Northern Districts.

The top two sides will progress to the Cello Basin Reserve national final while in The Ford Trophy, three teams will head to Wellington for an Elimination Final followed by the Grand Final on consecutive days.

PHOTOSPORT

Hawke’s Bay pace bowler Aniela Apperley (above) could play her first Hinds match in a year this weekend, coming into the squad off the back of strong CD A form with both bat and ball, while Wairarapa off-spinner Lizzy Cohr will be looking to continue her sensational debut Domestic season.

Cohr is among the trio of top wicket-takers nationally in the one-day competition, level with Wellington Blaze luminaries Jess Kerr and Xara Jetly on 14 wickets.

Cohr has the best average at just 10.64, and Wairarapa and Hinds teammate Emma McLeod is the top batter nationally with 342 runs from six rounds — also with the best average this season, a cracking 68.40.

That’s form the rising youngster carried into a good Super Smash campaign, after her maiden Hallyburton Johnstone Shield century before that.

the 19-year-old (below), scored an unbeaten 59* and unbeaten 39* in the Hinds’ two T20s against the Hearts who packed a calibre bowling line-up with the ilk of WHITE FERNS Bree Illing and Molly Penfold.

 

PHOTOSPORT

The Hinds have Hannah Rowe and Rosemary Mair to counter, and McLeod will be one of many in the green shirt this Saturday and Sunday looking to exact revenge against the Aucklanders who, at the same place two weeks ago, pulled off a blinder to prevent the Hinds from making the Super Smash Finals.

For the Hinds it was a gutting, screeching halt, after having strung together a brilliant five consecutive T20 wins — after just one in the previous season.

But there is still a legacy of high confidence to draw upon as the 50-over tactics and plans come out of the filing cabinet.

The Stags’ win at the Basin on Wednesday will have already brushed away their own disappointment of narrowly missing out on Super Smash Finals.

Brad Schmulian wasn’t involved in the T20 campaign, but looked refreshed and hungry for every run as he hit the ground running in his first Stags match in a month and a half.

Brad Schmulian | MBUTCHER

Jayden Lennox’s good side had been sent in on a tricky surface for a reduced 36-over game due to a covers mishap.

A heavy and lengthy rainstorm in the capital on the previous day had seen water seep into a strip of the pitch, and delayed any play until early afternoon. 

The Stags also had to overcome a trying travel day after flight and training plans were disrupted by the same storm, the regionally-based team spending most of the day in various planes, buses and cars before arriving in Wellington late the previous night.

Fortunately, wet weather had been replaced by insolent sunshine and a helpful southerly on game day, drying out the problem patch on the pitch.

Schmulian seized control of the situation with a career-best unbeaten 146* off 98 balls, including fourteen fours and three sixes: his fifth one-day century for the Stags putting him in the company of Ross Taylor and Will Young.

Only his opening predecessor George Worker (10) has more on the all-time Stags lists.

Support came from Curtis Heaphy (a patient 24) and Dean Foxcroft (72 off 39) who joined in century partnerships for the first and third wickets respectively as Central posted a good total of 307/4 in the 36 overs available.

MBUTCHER

“It was pretty special to get back into the Stags environment after basically a couple months away”, said Schmulian.

“I was seeing the ball well, things went my way and I played a few extra shots that I probably haven't used in previous games, after working in the nets with [Ford Trophy and Plunket Shield Assistant Coach] Aldin Smith while the team was playing Super Smash. 

“It was a pretty special hundred. 

"One of my best mates lost his brother a couple weeks ago, so I was trying to do something special for him, and it was nice to have that little moment [when Schmulian marked his century with a special signal]. 

“For the team to stand up after the long day of travel was also something the whole team could be proud of — the Hawke Cup boys had already done quite a bit of driving to and from Taranaki before that, so there was a bit of adversity to overcome.

“It was a real clinical team performance, with lots of guys contributing, and it was an important win.

SCORES

“Now we’re looking forward to Napier where we generally perform well.

“We’re set on pushing for some silverware this year, and we’ve got the team to do it.”

MBUTCHER

Wicketkeeper Dane Cleaver took an outstanding diving catch off Josh Clarkson at the Basin to remove Muhammad Abbas cheaply at a pivotal point of the Firebirds’ chase, and tomorrow both Cleaver and Clarkson are expected to mark their 100th List A match — including their several appearances for New Zealand.

The Stags and Hinds’ matches begin at 10.30am and are free admission, with free livestreams here at www.cdcricket.co.nz

ROUND SEVEN

Central Stags v Auckland Aces

10.30am | Saturday, 7 February 2026

McLean Park, Napier

FREE LIVESTREAM

Livescores www.cdcricket.co.nz

JAYDEN Lennox - captain, Hawke's Bay

JOSH Clarkson - Nelson

DANE Cleaver - wicketkeeper, Manawatū

DEAN Foxcroft - Hawke’s Bay

CURTIS Heaphy - Manawatū

AJAZ Patel - Hawke's Bay

BRETT Randell - Nelson

ANGUS Schaw - Hawke's Bay

BRAD Schmulian - Hawke's Bay

BLAIR Tickner - Hawke's Bay

RAY Toole - Manawatū  

WILL Young - Taranaki

Head Coach: GREG Hay

Assistant Coach: ALDIN Smith 

Contracted players unavailable for selection

Unavailable: Tyler Annand

Unavailable (casual playing contract): Tom Bruce (Scotland T20 World Cup)

POINTS table - maximum five points per match

23 Canterbury

18 Central Stags

14 Auckland Aces

12 Wellington Firebirds

12 Northern Districts 

 2 Otago Volts

ROUNDS SEVEN + EIGHT

Central Hinds v Auckland Hearts

10.30am | Saturday, 7 February | Sunday, 8 February 2026

Kennards Hire Community Oval, Eden Park, Auckland

FREE LIVESTREAM

Livescores www.cdcricket.co.nz

HANNAH Rowe - captain, Manawatū

ANIELA Apperley - Hawke’s Bay

GEORGIA Atkinson - Wairarapa

ELIZABETH (LIZZY) Cohr - Wairarapa

FLORA Devonshire- vice-captain, Hawke’s Bay

GRACE Foreman - Taranaki

KATE Gaging - wicketkeeper, Nelson

ASHTUTI Kumar - Manawatū

EMMA McLeod - Wairarapa

ROSEMARY Mair - Hawke’s Bay

JESS Ogden - Manawatū

CATE Pedersen - Hawke’s Bay

KERRY Tomlinson - Taranaki

Head Coach: DEEPAK Joon

POINTS table - maximum five points per match

23 Northern Districts 

19 Wellington Blaze

14 Auckland Hearts

13 Central Hinds

10 Otago Sparks

 5 Canterbury Magicians

Article added: Friday 6 February 2026