White Ferns eye up One-Day matches

After getting the Rose Bowl series off to a successful start with two Twenty20 wins over the Australian Southern Stars, the focus for the White Ferns now turns to the 50-over game.

The teams face off in three One-Day Internationals in four days, the first in Queenstown followed by two in Invercargill

White Ferns coach Gary Stead is optimistic the women can carry on their good form. “We are very pleased with the way we performed in the Twenty20s and hopefully we can take that momentum and confidence into the One-Day game as well.

“The confidence in the team is high at the moment and we want to keep the Aussies down while we can.”

Tight fielding and precision bowling helped the White Ferns secure victory against the Australians in the two Twenty20 games on home soil and Stead believes the White Ferns have an advantage in that area. “Sara McGlashan is an outstanding fielder, one of the best in the world, and with Sara, Sophie Devine, Aimee Watkins and Suzie Bates around the circle area we can put tremendous pressure on the Australians with our fielding.”

Three players return to squad, including uncapped One-Day all-rounder Kate Broadmore who toured in Australia and spinner Emma Campbell who has returned from injury. The batting has also been bolstered with the recall of top order batsman Victoria Lind.

Stead said some of the White Ferns’ success also comes from the support the public has shown at the games and he hopes more locals in Southland will turn up to cheer on the team. “The ground looks good here in Queenstown”, he said. “The girls enjoyed playing on television and it helped lift the profile of the game. Hopefully we can get a few people here for the longer version. It really gives the girls a lift when they have people supporting them.”

ODI team will be selected from:

Aimee Watkins (c) – Cental Hinds
Suzie Bates – Otago Sparks
Nicola Browne – Northern Spirit
Amy Satterthwaite – Canterbury Magicians
Sara McGlashan – Cental Hinds
Rachel Priest– Cental Hinds
Katey Martin– Otago Sparks
Sophie Devine – Wellington Blaze
Sian Ruck – Wellington Blaze
Kate Pulford– Northern Spirit
Abby Burrows– Cental Hinds
Kate Broadmore– Cental Hinds
Victoria Lind – Auckland Hearts
Emma Campbell – Otago Sparks


Rose Bowl Series

Twenty20 Series
Fri 26 Feb – White Ferns won by 59 runs
Sun 28 Feb - White Ferns won by 17 runs

One-Day Internationals
Wed 3 Mar – White Ferns v Australia, Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown
Sat 6 Feb - White Ferns v Australia, Queens Park, Invercargill
Sun 7 Feb - White Ferns v Australia, Queens Park, Invercargill