The North and South women’s teams of New Zealand are set to clash in the first of three One-Dayers on March 28, 2025, at 3:00 AM Indian Standard Time (IST) at the Lincoln University’s Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
The North vs South Series, reinstated in the 2022-23 season, serves as a crucial platform for New Zealand’s domestic players to showcase their skills and prepare for international cricket. With the best of New Zealand’s women’s cricket talent on display, fans can expect a thrilling contest between Maddy Green led North team and Hayley Jensen led South team that will set the tone for the rest of the series.
Squads:
North Women
Maddy Green (C), Ocean Bartlett, Flora Devonshire, Kate Gaging, Amie Hucker, Bree Illing, Jess Kerr, Emma McLeod, Nensi Patel, Josie Penfold, Hannah Rowe, Saachi Shahri, Jess Watkin, Eve Wolland
South Women
Hayley Jensen (C), Sarah Asmussen, Missy Banks, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Eden Carson, Olivia Gain, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Izzy Sharp, Jess Simmons, Poppy Jay Watkins
Players to watch out:
Maddie Green
The 32-year-old middle-order batter has consistently demonstrated her skills in various formats. With 1708 runs in 81 ODIs, including a highest score of 122, and 1193 runs in 112 T20I innings, Green has established herself as a reliable force in New Zealand’s batting lineup. Her recent performances have been particularly impressive, including topping the run-scoring charts in the 2024-25 New Zealand Women’s One Day Competition with 698 runs in 11 innings, which featured a stunning century of 126 runs off just 123 balls in the final. Green has also shown her prowess in international cricket, scoring a century against Sri Lanka in the second ODI earlier this month and a quickfire 62 off 35 balls against Australia in the last match of the recent T20I series. With her rich form and experience, Maddy Green is undoubtedly a player to watch out for.
Jess Kerr
The 27-year-old right-arm medium bowler has made a significant impact in both ODIs and T20Is. With 52 wickets in 38 ODI innings and 23 wickets in 40 T20I innings, Kerr has established herself as a reliable wicket-taker. Moreover, she is a capable lower-order batter, having scored 276 ODI runs and 167 T20I runs. In the 2024-25 New Zealand Cricket Women’s One Day Competition, Kerr was the sixth-highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets in 10 matches, and also the eleventh-highest run-scorer with 305 runs, which included an unbeaten century of 104. Her recent performances have been impressive, including a three-wicket haul in the third ODI against Sri Lanka, and decent showings against Australia in the T20I series.
Izzy Sharp
The 20-year-old wicket-keeper batter is an exciting young talent who recently burst onto the international scene. She made her T20I debut against Sri Lanka, and although was dismissed for nought on debut, she showed promise in the next two games, scoring 8* and 17* respectively. In the 2024-25 New Zealand Women’s One Day Competition, Sharp demonstrated her potential with 203 runs in 10 matches, including a highest score of 42*. With this series under her belt, Sharp will be looking to build on her experience and make a bigger impact in the upcoming matches.
Eden Carson
The 23-year-old right-arm off-break bowler has emerged as a potent force in New Zealand’s bowling attack. With 16 wickets in 16 ODI innings and 39 wickets in 35 T20I innings, Carson has the ability to pick up crucial wickets. She has been in outstanding form, dominating the New Zealand Women’s One Day Competition as the highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in 11 innings. She also played a key role in Otago Sparks’ title win, taking two wickets in the final. Carson carried her form into the ODI series against Sri Lanka, picking up four wickets in three matches, and will be looking to bounce back from a wicketless outing in the T20I series against Australia.
Pitch:
The Bert Sutcliffe Oval dishes a well-balanced center wicket that features a fair contest between bat and ball. It offers favorable conditions for pacers to excel, while batters also find delight in the pitch, with an average score in the 230s.
Weather:
The temperature is forecasted to hover around 17°C, with humidity at 87% and light winds. With showers in the radar during the later stages of the game, expect rain delays and interruptions if the skies don’t clear.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Polly Inglis, Jess Watkin, Maddie Green, Saachi Shahri, Hannah Rowe, Hayley Jensen, Nensi Patel, Eden Carson, Jess Kerr, Bree Illing, Emma Black
Match Details:
Date – March 28, 2025
Time – 3:00 AM IST
Venue – Bert Sutcliff Oval, Lincoln
Broadcast – Fans can catch the live stream on NZC’s YouTube channel with live scoring available on nzc.nz and the NZC App.
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