Suzie Bates and the WHITE FERNS are getting ready to cross the Tasman for the first of six exciting clashes with world number ones Australia.
It’s the perfect prep for this year’s ICC Women’s World Cup, three Twenty20s coming up in Australia before both teams come back here to play three Rose Bowl one-dayers in Auckland and at the Mount.
Suzie Bates leads out the WHITE FERNS at the Basin Reserve. Image: www.photosport.nz
The three-match T20 Series kicks off at the mighty MCG in Melbourne this Friday, February 17, ahead of matches at Geelong’s Kardinia Park (February 19) and Adelaide Oval (February 22). All three matches are double-headers with the Australian men’s team’s series against Sri Lanka.
From there, both teams hop on a plane across to Auckland for the first of three ODIs on February 26.
Lea Tahuhu celebrates a wicket. Image: www.photosport.nz
Australian Southern Stars v New Zealand WHITE FERNS T20s
February 17: MCG, Melbourne, 4pm NZT
February 19: Kardinia Park, Geelong, 4pm NZT
February 22: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 4.30pm NZT
The Rose Bowl. Image: www.photosport.nz
Australian Southern Stars v New Zealand WHITE FERNS Rose Bowl ODIs
February 26: Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland, 11am
March 2: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, 11am
March 5: Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, 11am
What's at stake?
Australia is out for T20 revenge after losing last year’s T20 International Series here in New Zealand against us 2-1, before again losing to the WHITE FERNS in Nagpur at the 2016 ICC World T20 in India — where the Australians had gone in as defending champions.
Leigh Kasperek. Image: www.photosport.nz
But, the Southern Stars are still the current 50-over world champions, as well as the holders of the Rose Bowl, the historic silver trophy contested by the two countries in trans-Tasman one-day women’s cricket. The WHITE FERNS are out to take Australia’s fingers off the trophy — which Meg Lanning’s team held onto 2-1 here last summer. The final match of that Series was a great battle, both captains — Bates and Lanning — leading from the front with centuries for their country.
Who have they got?
Australia has brought in uncapped trio Ashleigh Gardner, Molly Strano and Sarah Aley into their squad after an exciting WBBL season; however superstar allrounder Ellyse Perry has been ruled out of the T20s with a hamstring injury suffered on the eve of the WBBL finals. Perry may return for the ODIs, so watch this space.
Southern Star Ellyse Perry. Image: www.photosport.nz
Aley was a late inclusion to their squad as cover for left-arm quick Lauren Cheatle, who suffered a shoulder injury in training and will likely miss the first T20 at the MCG.
Australian Southern Stars: Meg Lanning (c), Sarah Aley (T20 only) Kristen Beams, Alex Blackwell, Nicole Bolton (ODI only), Lauren Cheatle, Rene Farrell, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry (ODI only, pending fitness), Megan Schutt, Molly Strano (T20 only), Elyse Villani, Amanda-Jade Wellington
New Zealand WHITE FERNS
Our squad also took a pre-series injury knock, Sophie Devine ruled out of all six matches due to a dislocated thumb sustained during the WBBL. On the bright side, we’ve got off-spinning game-changer Leigh Kasperek back after recovering from the broken spinning finger that kept her out of series against South Africa and Pakistan late last year, while teenage leg-spinner Amelia Kerr is coming off a maiden century in domestic cricket in recent weeks to add to her fast-growing resumé.
Katie Perkins is congratulated on her hundred in the Women's One-Day Final.
With Bates, Katie Perkins and Erin Bermingham all having rippers in our women’s domestic finals over the weekend, the omens are good for some great battles!
WHITE FERNS: Suzie Bates (captain), Erin Bermingham, Sam Curtis (ODIs only), Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr (ODIs only), Katey Martin, Thamsyn Newton, Katie Perkins, Liz Perry, Anna Peterson (T20s only), Rachel Priest, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu
Bay Oval. Image: www.photosport.nz
How to follow
ATTEND: All WHITE FERNS matches in New Zealand are FREE ENTRY
WATCH: All three Twenty20 matches in Australia will be live on SKY Sport. The first match of the Rose Bowl Series at Eden Park Outer Oval will also be live on SKY Sport and the two matches at Bay Oval will be live streamed here
FOLLOW: Facebook @whitefernsfan Instagram @white_ferns Twitter @WHITE_FERNS
