Hosts New Zealand registered a convincing win in the 1st of two Twenty20 (T20s) against England A. The second warm-up game is slated for the 12th of March 2024, at the Sir John Davies Oval, Queenstown, at 2:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Squads:
New Zealand – Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout (WK), Izzy Gaze (WK), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Hannah Rowe, Eden Carson, Leigh Kasperek
England A – Georgia Adams, Hannah Baker, Alice Davidson-Richards, Tash Farrant, Kirstie Gordon, Freya Kemp, Emma Lamb, Ryana MacDonald-Gay, Sophie Munro, Grace Potts, Paige Scholfield, Grace Scrivens, Seren Smale, Rhianna Southby, Mady Villiers
Players to watch out:
Hannah Rowe
The 27-year-old all-rounder in the ’23-24 domestic season accumulated 184 runs, while also taking 9 wickets from ten T20 Super Smash outings. In the T20 opener, while Hannah departed cheaply for 9(13), she stepped up with the ball, registering figures of 2/19 (3). The team can count on her to deliver the goods.
Rosemary Mair
The 25-year-old all-rounder in the recently concluded Super Smash added 65 runs to the tally from 5 innings and scalped 14 wickets from 10 outings. Continuing her form, Rosemary returned figures of 3/21 (3) in the 1st T20, while facing only a couple of balls. It’ll be hoped she replicates this success.
Paige Scholfield
The 28-year-old all-rounder struggled for runs in the T20s last domestic season but managed to pick up 6 wickets from as many outings in the 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup. In the T20 opener, while Paige didn’t have a bowl, she departed cheaply for 7 but should be backed to find her footing and can lead the scoring.
Kirstie Gordon
The 26-year-old left-arm off-spinner didn’t have the best of domestic T20 seasons in 2023; however, she had a successful tour of India late last year, claiming 6 wickets at an economy of 6.45 from 3 outings. Kirstie, in the opener, produced figures of 2/26 (4), and it’ll be hoped she makes the most of this form.
Pitch:
The 22-yard strip at Sir John Davies Oval caters to both spinners and pacers with its array of variations. It would be wise for the batters to take their time and find their rhythm before shifting gears, targeting a competitive total in the 150s.
Weather:
The conditions for the game aren’t ideal with cloudy overhead, but the good news is that the chances of rain during match hours are minimal. The temperature is expected to hover around 14°C, with light winds and a humidity of 91%.
Fantasy playing XI:
Seren Smale, Izzy Gaze, Suzie Bates, Grace Scrivens, Maddy Green, Georgia Adams, Hannah Rowe, Rosemary Mair, Freya Kemp, Kirstie Gordon, Fran Jonas
Match details:
Date – March 12, 2024
Time – 2:30 AM IST
Venue – Sir John Davies Oval, Queenstown
Broadcast – Access live scores for the game on the nzc.nz match center web portal.