Anlo van Deventer to lead Central Hinds in HBJ Shield; Rosemary Mair to miss six rounds due to WBBL commitments

Hinds will be without the services of seamer Rosemary Mair who is over in Australia competing in the Women's Big Bash League. She will miss the first six rounds of the competition. Hannah Rowe will lead the attack in her absence.

Mair's unavailability and the retirement of allrounder Kate Baxter provides an opportunity to a couple of young bowlers within the 12-member squad. Van Deventer is encouraged by the form of young Monique Rees and 17-year-old Ashtuti Kumar who earned her maiden contract earlier this year.

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“We’ve got a few young ones really starting to push their way into the starting XI and I think that’s good to see — giving us oldies a push in the right direction,” van Deventer said.

“Monique really impressed me in our preseason camp. She’s now swinging the ball in the opposite direction which is very exciting for us, and we have already had a glimpse of what Ashtuti can do at just 17, after her debut in both formats last season.”

Natalie Dodd and Jess Watkin, both of whom recently earned a recall to the New Zealand squad on their tour to Australia in September-October, will join van Deventer at the top of the order for the Hinds. Dodd has carried on her good form from last season, scoring a century for Taranaki last weekend in the Shrimpton Trophy.

Squad: Anlo van Deventer (c), Hannah Rowe (vc), Georgia Atkinson, Emily Cunningham, Natalie Dodd, Claudia Green, Mikaela Greig, Melissa Hansen, Ashtuti Kumar, Kerry Tomlinson, Monique Rees, Jess Watkin