New Zealand Cricket announced its 16-member squad that will tour England for a three-match T20I series and five-match ODI series starting September 1. The White Ferns are missing one of the prominent names in their line-up that is Amelia Kerr, who has opted out of the England tour citing mental health reasons. On the other hand, there are two players, namely, Claudia Green and Jessie McFayden, who have received their maiden call-ups.
New Zealand Women’s squad for the England tour announced.#ENGvNZ pic.twitter.com/c2j9dvbDOf
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 4, 2021
Squad: Sophie Devine (c), Amy Satterthwaite (vc), Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Claudia Green*, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Jessie McFadyen* (wk), Thamsyn Newton, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
*potential debutants
Sophie Devine:
The captain of the White Ferns is one of the most experienced campaigners in the side. The all-rounder has featured in 209 international games, scored 5241 runs, and scalped 169 wickets. The right-hand top-order bat has five centuries in ODIs and one in T20Is. The right arm pacer has one four-wicket haul in T20Is. Though she started as a bowler and a batter who batted at number 11, she has come a long way to become one of the most destructive batters in modern-day cricket.
Amy Satterthwaite:
This talented cricketer can bat, bowl and keep wickets. She has represented the White Ferns in 236 international games and has scored 5842 runs across ODIs and T20Is. She also has seven centuries in ODI cricket. Behind the stumps, she has accounted for 86 dismissals. Bowling right arm off spin, she has picked up 69 wickets. She is a complete package player.
Suzie Bates:
She is the most experienced player in the New Zealand women’s team. Having played 247 international fixtures, the right hand bat and right arm speedster has contributed immensely over the years. She has mustered 7849 runs in ODIs and T20Is together, including 10 centuries in ODIs and one in T20Is. With the ball, she has been effective as well, accounting for 125 wickets. She is one of the leading all-rounders in women’s cricket.
Lauren Down:
The right hand bat is still new in her international career having featured in 14 ODIs and 5 T20Is. She has shown promise with the bat whenever she has got the opportunity. In her brief career so far, she has neither played against England nor played in England. It will be interesting how she fares against the defending champions of the 50-over world cup.
Claudia Green:
The right arm speedster caught the selectors’ eyes last summer when she took five for 48 for the New Zealand XI against England in a Queenstown warm-up fixture. She is a talented young bowler, who plays for Central Districts. If given a chance to play at the international level, there is seldom any doubt that she will grab the opportunity with both hands.
Maddy Green:
She had hit headlines in 2018 when New Zealand muscled a mammoth 490-4 against Ireland in Dublin. The right hand bat scored a blistering century in that match and stamped her authority as a good batter in the side. She has featured in 94 international games and has scored 1027 runs. The right arm off spinner also has a couple of wickets in 10 innings to her name.
Brooke Halliday:
The all-rounder has been impressive in her short international career so far. She has played 12 international matches, scored 206 runs and picked up 3 wickets. All the 3 wickets have come against England. Out of the 12 games, she has played six against England. The left hand bat averages 55 in the three ODIs that she has played against them.
Hayley Jensen:
The right arm quick is one of the important players in the New Zealand bowling attack. She has the reputation of bowling disciplined lines and lengths. In 50 international innings, she has picked up 37 wickets and has scored 352 runs lower down the order from 38 innings. She has the ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
Leigh Kasperek:
She is one of the most successful bowlers for New Zealand in recent times. The right arm off-spinner was the joint fastest to get to 50 wickets in T20Is having achieved the feat in 29 outings. She has picked up 129 international wickets in 78 matches. Apart from her bowling she is a useful lower order batter. She has 378 international runs in 44 innings.
Jess Kerr:
She is a right hand bat, right arm seamer and can keep wickets as well. In her brief career so far, she has played 17 international games for New Zealand, scored 67 runs in nine innings and picked up 12 wickets. She has also accounted for a couple of dismissals behind the stumps. Out of her 17 matches, she has played 3 T20Is and 2 ODIs against England.
Rosemary Mair:
She is a right arm quick, who has featured in 28 international games and has picked up 17 wickets. She is yet to play against England as well as in England. This tour will see her make debut on the English soil. She has good pace and has the ability to keep the batters quiet.
Katey Martin:
The veteran wicket-keeper bat has been around at the international level since 2003. She has a wealth of experience, having represented the White Ferns in 178 international games, including one Test. The right hand bat has scored 2490 runs and has accounted for 112 dismissals behind the stumps.
Jessie McFadyen:
Riding on her impressive domestic form for the Wellington Blaze, the wicket-keeper bat will be the second wicket-keeping option alongside Katey Martin. Rubbing shoulders with the seasoned players in the team will be a good learning experience for her.
Thamsyn Newton:
She is a right arm speedster, who has accounted for 20 international wickets in 18 innings. She has a five-wicket haul in ODIs and the best of 5-31 which came against Pakistan in New Zealand. She has played just one T20I against England. There is no doubt about her talent and she will certainly look to make the most of this England series.
Hannah Rowe:
The right arm seamer has picked up 30 international wickets in 41 innings. She has also chipped in 145 runs in 22 instances, in which she has batted. She has already played five matches against England and four on the English soil, which means that the conditions will not be alien to her going into this bilateral series.
Lea Tahuhu:
She is the leader of the New Zealand pace attack. The right arm seamer is quick and is right on money, more often than not. In 129 international innings, she has scalped 125 wickets. She has also contributed with the bat lower down the order with 313 runs in 60 innings. She has played 20 matches against England and 15 in England. She has the experience of playing on the English soil, which will come in handy for the New Zealand team.
New Zealand’s tour of England 2021
| Date | Time (IST) | Match | Venue |
| September 1, 2021 | 11pm | 1st T20I | Chelmsford |
| September 4, 2021 | 11.30pm | 2nd T20I | Hove |
| September 9, 2021 | 11pm | 3rd T20I | Taunton |
| September 16, 2021 | 5.30pm | 1st ODI | Bristol |
| September 19, 2021 | 3.30pm | 2nd ODI | Worcester |
| September 21, 2021 | 5.30pm | 3rd ODI | Leicester |
| September 23, 2021 | 5.30pm | 4th ODI | Derby |
| September 26, 2021 | 3.30pm | 5th ODI | Canterbury |
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.