Central Hinds

Central Districts Cricket Association comprises eight District associations: Hawke's Bay, Horowhenua-Kapiti, Manawatu, Taranaki, Wairarapa and Whanganui in the North Island, and Marlborough and Nelson in the South Island.[1]

Central Districts joined the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield for the 1979–80 season and finished fourth with one win and three draws.[2] In 1982–83, they finished second for the first time, behind Canterbury, who dominated the period.[3]

The Central Hinds won their first title in 2005–06 (when the one-day competition was named the State League), finishing second in the group stage before beating Canterbury in the final, helped by three wickets from Zara McWilliams and 55* from Sara McGlashan.[4][5] They were the runner-up in 2007–08 before winning their second one-day competition in 2009–10, with the final rained off and therefore winning the title as they had topped the group stage.[6][7] They also won their only Super Smash title the same season, beating Auckland in the final by eight wickets.[8]

The Central Hinds won their third one-day title in 2018–19, topping the group stage before beating the Auckland Hearts in a home final.[9] Central Hinds batter Natalie Dodd was the leading run-scorer in the competition, with 652 runs.[10]

Dodd and then-captain Anlo van Deventer set a New Zealand women's List A partnership record (all wickets) of 328 during the competition, for the second wicket against the Otago Sparks at Fitzherbert Park on March 3, 2019.[11] In December 2019, Dodd and Jess Watkin also set a national first-wicket record in the competition with a partnership of 216 at Karori Park, Wellington.[12]

Central Districts' first primary home ground was Manawaroa Park, Palmerston North, with some matches played at Ongley Park in the same city.[13]

In the 1990s, the side began playing at Victoria Park, Whanganui, as well as Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North. In 1998, the team began playing in Napier, especially at Nelson Park, but also later at McLean Park. From the 2000s, their primary grounds were Pukekura Park, New Plymouth and Fitzherbert Park, along with stints at grounds such as Queen Elizabeth Park and Cornwall Park, Hastings.

Since 2020–21, the Central Hinds have primarily used Pukekura Park, McLean Park, Fitzherbert Park and, since 2021-22, Saxton Oval, Nelson, and play both their home and away Super Smash matches as double-headers with the Central Stags.[13][14][15]

• Hallyburton Johnstone Shield:
  • Winners (3): 2005–06, 2009–10, 2018–19
• Women's Super Smash:
  • Winners (1): 2009–10

• Central Districts cricket team