There is a famous saying in cricket that you don’t know what a good first innings score is until the second team has a batted. That couldn’t have been truer in the final match of the 2025/26 season.
LPCC had finished top of the ladder and had the choice of home semi-finals, however with men’s two day cricket in play just two ground options were available St Alban’s Park and Burnside Park #1 and LPCC asked Metro to play at Burnside Park #1.
The days up the match had seen plenty of rain and there were many ground cancellations on the last and it would have likely that no play was possible on St Albans Park, and LPCC would have named the champions. However groundsman Dave Robertson had the covers on for two day and with some wind on the Friday helping to dry out the park we were able to get underway with a 1 hour ground delay.
NWWC won the toss and elected to bowl first in the hope of using the tricky conditions of the pitch and the damp outfield to an advantage. When Hannah Wallace trapped Kate Anderson leg before wicket for 15 breaking the opening partnership (Sophie Kelly 15) and then bowled Isla McKenzie the very next ball to be on a hat-trick the heat was on LPCC. Kate’s season has been very impressive and she was recognised at the NZ Cricket Awards with the Ruth Martin Cup for women’s domestic batting with 776 runs across the season, including 560 at an average of 70 in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
When Sarah Asmussen was out caught off the bowling of Mikayla Nortman with score as 48/5 and we were bowling tightly with not many runs on offer. The middle order tail batted watchfully around Laura Hughes who top scored with 18. LPCC all out for 102 in the 31st over. Hannah Wallace 3/17 off 4.2, Mikayla Nortman 2/12 off 6 overs.
To chase down the target of 103 we had to face four contracted provincial bowlers in Jess Simmons and Isla McKenzie (Wellington), Sarah Asmussen and Kate Anderson (Canterbury) and they bowled really well from the outset with runs hard to come by. Hannah Ryan 14 (29) and Kat Hockley had on opening partnership of 14 before the first wicket bringing Eloise Borcoski 15 (55) to the crease who had been impressive this season. There tight bowling brought wickets and when Eloise was out the score was 49/4. It was Gail Hotton playing her 50th premier match for North-West who starting putting some resistance back into the innings, top scoring for the match with 21 (44). It didn’t seem were able to build partnerships as Sammy, Eliza, Mikayla, and Wallace all returned to the dressing room, every run edged us closer to the target. When Gail fell 93/9 with 10 runs to get it was left to numbers 10 (Stead) and 11(Boon) to get us across the line, but Jess Simmons was too good on the day with her 4/21 off 8.1 combing with Isla Taylor 3/15 off 8 to clean up the innings. All out for 95. Congratulations to LPCC on the day and to Jess Simmons awarded player of the day.
It’s been a terrific season for our Premier side and wider squad of players with two titles this year and runners up in the one day 50 over competition what a superb
Photos: Graeme Campbell
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North-West Women's Cricket 