NATALIE DODD is based in Hamilton where she is the Deputy Principal and Acting Prinicipal of a local primary school, and currently in Level 3 lockdown.

Dodd and her team had fingers crossed for a Waikato alert level downgrade yesterday ahead of this weekend’s first ever Central Hinds matches to be played in Nelson, at CD’s South Island home ground Saxton Oval where they will go up against Suzie Bates’s newly star-stacked Otago Sparks.

Instead the 2021 Central Hinds Player of the Year will be following the live-scoring of the season’s opening two matches from home while vice-captain Jess Watkin steps up to lead the side in her absence this weekend.

The Hinds needed to appoint a new one-day captain after the incumbent, Anlo van Deventer, moved to Australia during the off-season to take up a job as a team physiotherapist with Brisbane Heat and Queensland Cricket.

Dodd has played 24 matches for the New Zealand WHITE FERNS and captained Northern Districts for several seasons earlier in her career, before her move to Central Districts three years ago.

DODD (right) takes over from ANLO VAN DEVENTER (left) | PHOTOSPORT

Central Hinds Head Coach JAMIE WATKINS says Dodd was a natural choice for the role, “but we’ve been gutted about the Waikato Alert Level restrictions coming into play, having waited with bated breath for every alert level announcement hoping for some more positive news for Natalie.

“It’s a real shame she now won’t be able to be part of a special weekend for us in Nelson, but JESS WATKIN has had a lot of experience as our Dream11 Super Smash captain now and can slot in and fill the shoes for the time being.”

Watkins said Dodd has been a leader in the team environment ever since she swapped the pink kit for green, providing advice and acting as a sounding board for van Deventer and Watkin from her fulcral position as wicketkeeper.

 

 

“While Natalie hasn’t had the captain’s armband on for us before, we know how tactically and technically astute she is. I think she’s one of the most astute leaders in the country, so we had a conversation with her in the off-season and she really jumped at the opportunity which is fantastic.

“Natalie’s manner with the players is the other attribute that makes her hugely respected as a leader within our group. The thing about Natalie is she makes players around her better. It’s not been a coincidence that when a lot of our players have their best batting performances, Natalie has been out there in the middle because she helps them through it.

“We also know that she won’t just lead by what she says — she’ll lead with performance because she is so consistent and hungry with the bat. Whenever Natalie finishes up, she’ll go down as one of the most prolific Domestic players ever seen in New Zealand, I’m sure. All the attributes are there for a strong leader.”

Dodd was just 20 when she first captained ND, and at 28 is looking forward to a second opportunity.

“Obviously as a wicketkeeper, it’s a really good position to be in to be able to see the game, see what the bowlers are doing, the angles in the field and be able to make decisions.

“Whilst it makes things very busy, it’s also a privileged position to be in to be able to make decisions about what you’re going to do with the bowlers and the fields.

“I think what I’ll bring this season is I’ll be quite an attacking captain.

“We’ve got some good seam bowlers so you’ll see lots of slips. Being a batter myself, you know what you don’t like from the other side of it — so I’ll be trying a few different things, and really backing the bowlers to create chances and take wickets.

“I think captaincy is a massively underrated position. There’s so much planning, thinking and learning that goes with it that it’s almost like you’ve got your batters, your bowlers, your wicketkeeper and the captain is another position all in itself, but I think it’s going to be a really good opportunity in what hopefully is a very good season for the Hinds.

“And, hopefully COVID-19 plays the game so we can be all playing together again soon.”

The Central Hinds’ history-making first match in Nelson begins at 10.30am this Saturday at Saxton Oval, Stoke, and is free admission.

Sunday’s Round Two also begins at 10.30am, also free admission, the Hinds and Sparks opening the NZC women’s Domestic season as the only teams in action this October.

Both matches are live-scored at nzc.nz and on the NZC app, with the squad to be named by Central Districts Cricket tomorrow.

 

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