Early last month, New Zealand Cricket had announced a 15-member squad that will take part in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from July 29 to August 7. The White Ferns are placed alongside England, South Africa and Sri Lanka in Group B. Sophie Devine will lead the side.
Earlier Squad: Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Sophie Devine (captain), Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Amelia Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Jess McFadyen, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe
On July 1, New Zealand Cricket announced that Lauren Down and Jess Kerr have been ruled out of the tournament in a media release. While Down has taken a break to concentrate on her well-being, Kerr is still recovering from the foot injury that she picked up during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup that was played in March-April this year. Lea Tahuhu, who missed out on a central contract has been named one of the replacements alongside Claudia Green.
Updated squad: Sophie Devine (captain), Suzie Bates, Maddy Green, Amelia Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Hayley Jensen, Jess McFadyen, Fran Jonas, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Izzy Gaze, Lea Tahuhu, Claudia Green
While Tahuhu is a big name in New Zealand Cricket, Green is yet to make her international debut. Green, who is a right-arm medium pace bowler, is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Kerr.
Squad Profile
Suzie Bates: This right-handed batter is the top run getter for New Zealand with 3380 runs in 123 T20I innings. She has one century and 21 half-centuries. Apart from her batting, she is more than a handy right arm seamer. She has 50 T20I wickets in 80 innings. However, she hasn’t bowled since September 2020.
Eden Carson: She is a right-arm off spinner, who plays her domestic cricket for Otago. In one of her recent outings, she scalped 5-17 against Wellington in a 50-over match. She bowled 10 overs, including five maidens.
Sophie Devine: The all-rounder will captain the White Ferns in the Commonwealth Games. She is a right-handed batter and a right arm seamer. She has featured in 102 ODIs, scored 2592 runs in 99 innings and picked up 98 wickets in 90 innings. She has been leading the side regularly since 2019.
Lea Tahuhu: She is an experienced right arm medium pace bowler and a right-handed batter, who has played 61 T20Is since her international debut in 2011. She has 53 wickets in 60 innings, including the best of 17/3 and 89 runs in 17 innings with the bat, including the highest score of 27.
Izzy Gaze: She is a wicket-keeper and a right-handed middle order batter, who plays her domestic cricket for Auckland. With Katey Martin having retired, it will be interesting to see if Gaze gets the go as the first wicket-keeper.
Maddy Green: She is a right-handed middle order batter, who has featured in 61 T20Is and registered 521 runs in 49 innings. She will be the key to New Zealand’s middle order batting. Apart from her batting, she is an occasional right arm off spinner. She has one wicket in five innings.
Brooke Halliday: She is a left-handed batter and an occasional right arm seamer. With the bat, the southpaw has 73 runs in nine T20I innings, including the best of 29 not out. With the ball, she has one wicket in one inning.
Hayley Jensen: She is a right arm seamer and a right-handed batter. She has featured in 40 T20Is and picked up 29 wickets in 35 innings, including the best of 3-11. With the bat she has mustered 151 runs in 23 innings.
Fran Jonas: The left arm spinner made her international debut in 2021. She has played five ODIs and scalped two wickets. She is yet to make her T20I debut for New Zealand.
Claudia Green: She is a right arm seamer, who plays her domestic cricket for Central Districts in New Zealand. She is known for her swing. Though she is yet to make her international debut, she was a part of the White Ferns’ squad that toured England last year and has been a part of various New Zealand camps.
Amelia Kerr: She is one of the best all-rounders in the world of women’s cricket. This right-handed top order batter has muscled 234 runs in 24 T20I innings at a strike rate of more than 100. With the ball, she has claimed 41 wickets in as many innings, including the best of 3-16, bowling right arm leg spin.
Rosemary Mair: She is a right arm speedster, who made her international debut in 2019. She has featured in 17 T20Is and accounted for 13 wickets, including the best of 2-17. With Lea Tahuhu not being in the squad, she could fancy her chances in the playing XI.
Jess McFadyen: She is a wicket-keeper and a right-handed opening batter, who plays her domestic cricket for Wellington. She has been an established domestic player with close to 90 matches to her name.
Georgia Plimmer: She is a right-handed middle order batter, who plays her domestic cricket for Wellington. Apart from her batting, she can also bowl right arm medium pace.
Hannah Rowe: She is a young fast bowler, who made her international debut for White Ferns in 2015. Since then, she has featured in 25 T20Is and scalped 12 wickets, including the best of 3-18. She bowls at an economy rate of just under seven runs per over.
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.