Northern Districts Women Win Their First Ever HBJ Shield Title

The Northern Districts Women have claimed their first domestic title, winning the 2025/26 HBJ Shield and making history for the province.

It is the first time the ND women have lifted a major trophy, ending a three season build toward success.

Captain Jess Watkin said the win was the reward for the work the group has put in over several seasons.

“It means everything. We’ve been building toward this for three seasons now, so to finally get the job done is pretty special. There’s been a lot of hard work behind the scenes.”

Key Turning Points

One of the defining moments of the season came against the Wellington Blaze.

After a heavy loss earlier in the competition, Northern Districts responded with a strong win in the return match, repeating that performance in the final.

“Bouncing back against Wellington early on stands out,” Watkin said. “After they rolled us, we came back and beat them convincingly, and then to do it again in the final made it even better.”

“Defending what people thought was an under-par score against some of the best players around was an unreal feeling.”

A Team Effort

Watkin said the strength of the side was the shared contribution across the squad.

“The best thing about our team is that different players stepped up at different times. Everyone contributed in some way, and that’s a big reason why we had the success we did.”

Head Coach Peter Borren said the title reflects the progress the group has made over the past three years.

“I see the positive results of this season from a bit of a longer lens. We have seen improvement as a group over the last three years.”

“We play a simple brand of cricket where the batters from 1–11 are encouraged to try to score off every ball and our bowlers try to keep the stumps in play. Our catching and our fielding in general has come an awful long way and we were excellent at that this year.”

Borren also credited Watkin’s leadership, along with senior players Caitlin Gurrey and Marama Downes, for setting the tone within the group.

“Jess Watkin is an excellent, level-headed captain. The girls respect her for her talent, but also because she respects them and encourages them to be the best they can be.”

“Her leadership and that of a couple of the other senior players allows our younger players to be themselves whilst learning and developing. Those younger players can make mistakes without judgement, they are backed to show off their skills.”

The season also brought higher honours, with Nensi Patel and Kayley Knight selected for the New Zealand women's national cricket team.

“Nensi and Kayley making the White Ferns is reward for their talent and commitment,” Borren said. “It is also recognition of the environment the girls have created and nurtured. We have other talented players who will hopefully gain higher honours.”

While the title is a major milestone, Borren believes there is still room to grow.

“Whilst this season has been a good one for the team, there is plenty more work to be done. Individually and collectively there is potential for us to be a lot better.”

For Northern Districts Women, the HBJ Shield win is a historic first, and a sign of what this group can achieve.