Hearts hope good form continues for finals | Auckland Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Auckland

The Auckland Hearts have the chance to come home with two national cricket trophies, all going to plan this weekend.

The Hearts head south to play their Action Cricket one-day final at Rangiora on Saturday. Then there's the T20 final, part of a double bill with the Canterbury Wizards v Wellington Firebirds men's match in the HRV Cup, being played on Sunday.

Coaches have named the same 12 players that knocked over the Northern Spirit on Monday, giving them the chance to take on the Canterbury Magicians in the finals.

The Hearts sit second in both the one day and T20 competition - a far cry from their fifth place finish last season.

Co-coach Maia Lewis puts that down to a number of things, including import player Stafanie Taylor, the ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year in 2011. The 20-year-old Jamaican has given the side a huge boost.

"She's really produced with both bat and ball and that innings against ND (86*) was something special. I think also that the introduction of Katrina Keenan as co-coach has brought renewed enthusiasm and she's done great work with the pace bowlers, as well as helping the whole team with the mental side of the game and their self-belief."

Hearts player Maddy Green, 19, agrees.

"It's been great having someone like Stafanie in the team who is always succeeding, always getting runs so it helps you play your own game.

"She's also given us a bit of advice," says Green.

Fellow Heart Katie Perkins says the side has benefited from their import even if she's not saying anything.

"You actually learn by watching her," says Perkins.

Lewis says the experience of having an import player has been mutually beneficial, even if the wet weather has been a far cry from what Taylor is familiar with.

"Stafanie is still developing her own game and learning life skills off the field as well. She has been impressed with the standard over here and has found it challenging. So we hope to have a continued liaison with her and West Indies cricket."

But Lewis says it's the form of homegrown girls Perkins, Green and senior players Paula Gruber and Sam Curtis that have played a key part. She says the future is also looking good with the likes of 16-year-old Lauren Down providing competition within the squad.

Cornwall clubmates Perkins and Green paid tribute this week to Lewis and Keenan, as well as Hearts manager Sue Borich.

Perkins has been in the side for six seasons and says the whole set-up this year has given the players a real boost - and may well be behind the team's success.

"We have a great management team in those three. That's made a huge difference, they've all contribute to the team and how it's played this season," says Perkins. "The team culture is awesome."

Canterbury has been the form team this season and goes into both finals as favourites, having not lost a game. It's also a side stacked with White Ferns - Amy Satterthwaite, Rachel Candy, Frances Mackay and Lea Tahuhu.

"But we're going in with a 'nothing to lose' attitude," says Lewis. "Our form heading into these games is really good, especially in the T20 format, and they're both one off games so the opportunity is there for us to take.

"We expect to come home with at least one piece of silverware."

Live scoring of both matches can be seen on the Auckland Cricket website through the CricHQ app.

The Auckland Hearts squad for finals weekend is:

Victoria Lind (Capt) (Ellerslie)
Katie Perkins (VC) (Cornwall)
Saskia Bullen (Ellerslie)
Megan Tremaine (Papatoetoe)
Paula Gruber (Grafton United)
Lauren Down (East Coast Bays)
Holly Huddleston (Papatoetoe)
Maddy Green (Cornwall)
Georgia Guy (Cornwall)
Samantha Curtis (Waitakere City)
Arlene Kelly (Papatoetoe)
Stafanie Taylor (Overseas Player)