The Auckland HEARTS are gearing up for two crucial rounds of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield this weekend, taking on the unbeaten Otago Sparks at Eden Park’s Kennards Hire Community Oval. The matches will be played on Saturday, 8 February, and Sunday, 9 February, both starting at 10:30 am.

With the competition’s middle of the table tightly contested, the HEARTS have a big opportunity to shake things up against the competition leaders. The two sides last met at Eden Park during the Super Smash, where the HEARTS secured a memorable victory. Since then, the Sparks have proven their quality by reaching the Super Smash final, making this an exciting rematch in the 50-over format.

The HEARTS have maintained a relatively stable squad throughout the season, despite a few injury setbacks. Young leg spinner Rishika Jaswal joins the squad after an impressive U19 T20 World Cup campaign, where she took eight wickets in four games.

With home support behind them, the HEARTS will be looking to hand the Sparks their first loss of the competition. It’s free entry and will be live-streamed on New Zealand Cricket’s YouTube channel.

Hallyburton Johnstone Shield Round Seven & Eight

Auckland HEARTS vs. Otago Sparks

8^th February & 9^th February 2025 | 10:30am

Kennards Hire Community Oval, Auckland

Article added: Friday 07 February 2025