Northern Brave vs Wellington Blaze, HJS, Today Match Prediction 16 November 2025

NBW-W vs WB-W Match Prediction & Analysis

The fifth game of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield 2025/26 will have Northern Brave Women clash with Wellington Blaze. Wellington started their season with a win against Northern Brave, and the two sides are set to face off again. Northern Brave will look to bounce back after that loss, so we may be in for a tight contest.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Northern Brave Preview

Northern Brave Women would be disappointed with their performance in their season opener, where they could manage only 133 after batting first. Barring Holly Topp, who top-scored with a gritty 32 off 53, none of the other batters could stay on for long.

The Brave have many other dependable names in their line-up too and would be counting on them to deliver in the next match. Caitlin Gurrey was exceptional for the team last year, piling on 523 runs in 10 matches at 52.3. 

Nensi Patel, Yasmeen Kareem, and skipper Jess Watkin are all capable of putting up a score, and there is every chance one of them makes a mark this time. 

Among the bowlers, the Brave will look to Nensi Patel and Jess Watkin to deliver key breakthroughs, as both were among the top three wicket-takers last season. Marama Downes and Tash Wakelin are two other strike options in this team who can deliver here.

Northern Brave Predicted Playing XI:

Jess Watkin (c), Yasmeen Kareem, Tash Wakelin, Caitlin Gurrey, Nensi Patel, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp (wk), Lucy Boucher, Marama Downes, Kayley Knight, Sophie Court

Wellington Blaze Preview

Wellington Blaze have started the tournament on the right foot, taking down Northern Brave Women by eight wickets. On a pitch that was offering plenty to the bowlers, the Blaze restricted the opposition to just 133 and chased down the target with ease. 

On this tough pitch, opener Georgia Plimmer shone with a gutsy knock of 48 off 69. The other notable contributions came from Xara Jetly, who struck an unbeaten 38 off 76 balls. Jess Kerr also made a solid contribution of 23* off 19.

Hannah Francis is one of their premier batters, who top-scored last season with 330 runs in 10 matches, and will be expected to deliver at least 30+ runs in this game.

Jess Kerr is another one to watch out for as she was on fire in the tournament last year, smashing 305 runs in 10 matches.

The bowlers did a terrific job in the first game, with Natasha Codyre leading the way with amazing figures of 4-28 from her 10 overs. Jessica Simmons (2-14 in 4.1) and Jess Kerr (1-17 from seven) also chipped in with useful spells. Keep an eye on Hannah Francis as well, as she is someone who can be extremely economical in the middle overs.

Wellington Blaze Predicted Playing XI:

Georgia Plimmer (c), Hannah Francis, Xara Jetly, Jess Kerr, Jessica McFadyen (wk), Isla McKenzie, Sam Mackinder, Jessica Simmons, Nicole Baird, Natasha Codyre, Rachel Bryant

Weather Conditions

Early movement can trouble batters at Cobham Oval, but as the sunshine settles in, the surface tends to flatten out. The pitch is reasonably firm, allowing batters to find rhythm quite early. That said, by the back end, it slows just a touch, handing spinners a chance to make use of subtle change. 

Weather forecasts show pleasant skies with partial sunshine throughout the day, so we should get a full match.

NBW-W vs WB-W Pitch Report

This is not a high-scoring venue, and the average score generally hovers around the 200-run mark at the venue. For this game, the team batting first will look to target a score of 240+ to give themselves a perfect platform to dominate. 

Toss: To Bowl

Chasing sides may like the look of this track, and we reckon the toss-winning captain will look to bat second.