Perkins & Huddleston Bow Out With HEARTS As An Outside Chance Of Reaching HBJ Shield Finals

This weekend sees the end of the regular HEARTS 2022/23 season as they enter their last two round robin games, against Northern Districts, with form on their side and an outside chance of making the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield finals.

The bigger story of the weekend will be the retirement of two Auckland greats, however.

Katie Perkins will hang up her boots after 16 years playing for the HEARTS. She will finish as the highest run-scorer in Auckland women’s history with over 5,000 runs across formats since 2006/07.

She is leaving while she is at the absolute peak of her game, after compiling 113* and 94 in last weekend’s successful double header against the Sparks.

Holly Huddleston is also calling time on her illustrious career. One of Auckland’s greatest ever allrounders, Huddleston has taken over 160 wickets and hit over 2,000 runs since her debut in 2005/06. Most of these have come for the HEARTS, who she joined in 2009/10.

Form is clearly not a factor in Huddleston’s retirement either, after her double of 4/49 and 49* in Saturday’s match helped launch the HEARTS towards unlikely finals contention.

The HEARTS will need to win both games against Northern Districts and hope that the Otago Sparks take out Canterbury in both of their games to be able to make the final, to be played on March 4th, probably in Wellington.

Making the finals would be an unbelievable turnaround for the HEARTS, who were for all intents and purposes completely buried at the half way stage of the competition.

Prue Catton will captain the side again in the absence of Lauren Down, who is returning from South Africa with the WHITEFERNS.

Also unavailable due to WHITEFERNS commitments are Molly Penfold and Fran Jonas.

Bella Armstrong misses out due to injury.

Play starts at 10:30am and will be live streamed on New Zealand Cricket’s YouTube channel.

Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Rounds Nine & Ten | Auckland HEARTS vs. Northern Districts

Colin Maiden Park, Auckland | 10:30am Start | FREE ENTRY
 

Skye Bowden (Howick Pakuranga)
Anna Browning (Takapuna)
Prue Catton (c) (Auckland University)
Izzy Gaze (wk) (Takapuna)
Amie Hucker (Cornwall)
Holly Huddleston (Auckland University)
Breearne Illing (Cornwall)
Kate Irwin (Takapuna)
Amberly Parr (Howick Pakuranga)
Katie Perkins (Cornwall)
Josie Penfold (Howick Pakuranga)
Saachi Shahri (Howick Pakuranga)

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