Wellington Girls' set the record straight

BY PENNY MILES

From seventh to national champions, Wellington Girls' first XI on Sunday lifted the NZCT Cup to become the first Wellington side to claim the national schoolgirls silverware.

Wellington beat Havelock North High School in the final played at Taupo's Owen Delany Park.

Victorious captain Rachel Chin, who was one of two Wellington players named in the tournament team, said she was still coming down to earth from the "massive win".

"I was really gobsmacked winning that final. To pull it off just meant so much to everyone," she said.

"I never actually dreamt of holding that trophy because in all the previous years we had come in the lower half of the tournament.

"Coming from seventh last year and winning it this year is a massive jump, and it was just a great feeling amongst the team."

Havelock won the toss and decided to bat in the final, but Wellington opening bowlers Penny Roy and Whetu Charteris helped to restrict the Hawke's Bay team to 119 runs in 40 overs.

"We only needed three an over and Antonia Ward and I went out there and stayed in for around the first 20 overs to see off the new ball," Chin said.

She eventually fell for 54 but the hard work had been done and Wellington cruised to victory in 36 overs, ending on 121-3.

"We knew we had a really good chance, but it was a well-balanced game because Havelock also had decent bowlers," she said.

Wellington's first win, over Christchurch Girls' High School, set the tone. "That was probably one of our best games that we played as a team," Chin said.

"We started the tournament off really well, which helped us continue through to win the final. Christchurch were looking to win the whole thing as well."

Chin said further team celebrations had been planned.

Coach Glenn Ward was delighted for his players but was disappointed that Chin, wicketkeeper and opening bat, missed out on the player of the tournament award. Holly Grover also made the tournament team.

The national finals of the girls' knockout competition were first held in 1994. The previous best from a Wellington team was in 1997 when Hutt Valley High School were runners-up.

At the Gillette Cup national schoolboys finals, St Pat's Silverstream received a harsh introduction to the elite finals in Palmerston North.

St Pat's lost their playoff for seventh on Sunday to New Plymouth Boys' High School to finish last.

Christchurch Boys' High School beat Hamilton Boys' High for the Gillette Cup.

NZCT Cup champions - Wellington Girls' first XI: Rachel Chin (captain), Penny Roy (vice-captain), Whetu Charteris, Antonia Ward, Hannah Austin-Smellie, Kayla Edwards, Holly Grover, Hayley Lorking, Mikayla Symons, Kate Southorn, Jacinda Ashley-Jones, Steph Bremner. Coach: Glenn Ward.

Havelock North High School 119-8 ( O Gregory 44, S Rangenkar 26; J. Ashley-Jones 2/21) lost to Wellington Girls' College 121/3 in 36 overs (Chin 54).

- © Fairfax NZ News