The return of Emma McLeod is a timely boost for the Southey Sayer Wairarapa Korus as they look to get their Shrimpton Trophy campaign back on track against Manawatu in Palmerston North tomorrow.
The New Zealand under-19 international has been released from the Central Hinds to get some game time. Her return couldn’t come at a better time, with experienced campaigners Ocean Bartlett, Olivia Clark, Macy Lyford, and Georgia Atkinson playing for Aotearoa Māori Wahine in the Pacific Cup and Central Districts under-19 all-rounder Vanessa Taylor unavailable with work commitments.
CD under-19 medium pacer Lucy Jurlina and middle order batters Kayarna Jones-Denness and Caitlyn Elliott come into the side.
Manawatū will also be without several top players, Hannah Rowe, Mikaela Greig, and Ashtuti Kumar with the Hinds and Sam McKinder with the Māori team.
The Korus were badly outplayed by Taranaki last Sunday, scoring only 116 runs and losing by eight wickets in what coach Simon Roseingrave described as “poor and our worst performance this season”.
“I did put that down to holiday mode, but we can’t use that excuse now, even with a couple of new players in the side,” Roseingrave said.
“My expectation is that we improve from last weekend. We’ve been talking about some of the errors we’ve been making, and I want to see good concerted batting out the 40 overs with a reasonable run rate effort.”
Much of the batting responsibility is likely to fall on the shoulders of McLeod and experienced Central Hind Melissa Hansen, while Jones-Denness, wicketkeeper Sally Booth, Elizabeth Cohr and the promising Maddy Brown and Dina Morrison are capable of useful contributions with the bat.
Roseingrave admits the Korus are probably going into the game light in bowling, with only five or six front liners, but remains confident the players can bounce back from the disappointment against Taranaki.
“It is usually our strength – bowling and fielding – so we just need to make sure we put the runs on the board.”
The Korus have had two wins and two losses and sit midtable in the Shrimpton Trophy – Central Districts’ premier women’s championship.
Tomorrow’s game starts at 10.30 am at Fitzherbert Park.
Meanwhile, last Saturday’s postponed match with Manawatu will now be played at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval on Sunday, February 11.
Wairarapa Korus
to play Manawatu:
Olivia Roseingrave [captain], Sally Booth [wk], Madison Brown, Elizabeth Cohr, Caitlin Elliott, Melissa Hansen, Kayarna Jones-Dennes, Lucy Jurlina, Emma McLeod, Jess Monk, Dina Morrison, Jess Roseingrave.
