The CENTRAL HINDS will have a strong presence when New Zealand A plays England A from next week - and with two of the matches coming to Nelson's Saxton Oval.

CLAUDIA GREEN, MIKAELA GREIG and FLORA DEVONSHIRE have all earned their first New Zealand A selections, with Greig selected in both the T20 and One-Day squads.

It's the first New Zealand selection at any level for hard-hitting Manawatū allrounder Greig who averaged over 50 with the bat during the season's Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and then performed in the North v South T20s in Napier over the past week as well.

PHOTOSPORT

Fresh off her second T20 hat-trick of the season - adding a North v South hat to her first feat in the Dream11 Super Smash Elimination Final, Nelson swing bowler Green and talented ex-NZ U19 youngster Devonshire have been selected for the T20 Series only where the team will be coached by Central Hinds Head Coach JACOB ORAM.

New Zealand A also plays a tour warm-up game with the England Women side - here to play the WHITE FERNS, in Queenstown next week before launching into the A Series, starting with the three T20s.

The 14-strong New Zealand A squads are the first national women's A sides to be selected for more than 20 years, and the first to face another A-level opponent. On the previous occasions (in 1998 and 2002) previous editions of the team were pitted against Australia youth teams.

The Series is designed to assist players to bridge the gap between Domestic and International cricket. 

New Zealand Cricket Head of Women’s High Performance, CD Alumna LIZ GREEN said the historic tour was an essential component of the development pathway.

“To see this tour come to fruition is very special,” said Green.

PHOTOSPORT

“It speaks to our broader pathway strategy that is focused on providing more playing opportunities for our talented athletes.

“We’ve been working to develop an A programme for a while now, as we know how integral elevated development opportunities are to the growth of players.

“To continue to produce high calibre players that can compete with the best in the world, we need to make opportunities like this occur regularly in the schedule.”

Green said selection was based on Domestic performances, with an eye to developing future WHITE FERNS.

PHOTOSPORT

“It was a robust selection process,” she said.

“The selection panel worked alongside Major Association coaches to identify strong Domestic performers and skillsets that aligned to WHITE FERNS' succession plans.

“There was a key focus on looking at high priority development prospects, and identifying where they could fit in the future WHITE FERNS set-up.

“Picking two squads [across the two formats] has allowed us to expose a host of different players at this next level, and test their readiness for international cricket.”

While Oram coaches the T20 Series, Otago Sparks Head Coach Craig Cumming will take over for the one-dayers, both coaches to be assisted by NZC Pathway coaches CD Alumna SARA McGLASHAN and ex-ND rep Graeme Aldridge.

All the matches will be livescored at nzc.nz and the NZC App, and livestreamed on NZC YouTube. 

NEW ZEALAND A v ENGLAND A

2023/24 A SERIES IN QUEENSTOWN, DUNEDIN and NELSON

Hayley Jensen - captain, Otago Sparks

Kate Anderson - Canterbury Magicians

Sarah Asmussen - Canterbury Magicians

Bernadine Bezuidenhout - Northern Brave - Game 1

Prue Catton - Auckland Hearts

Flora Devonshire - Central Hinds

Claudia Green - Central Hinds

Mikaela Greig - Central Hinds

Bree Illing - Auckland Hearts

Polly Inglis - Otago Sparks

Leigh Kasperek - Wellington Blaze

Molly Penfold - Auckland Hearts

Georgia Plimmer - Wellington Blaze

Saachi Shahri Auckland Hearts - Games 2 + 3

Hayley Jensen - captain, Otago Sparks

Kate Anderson - Canterbury Magicians

Caitlin Blakely - Otago Sparks

Emma Black - Otago Sparks

Eden Carson - Otago Sparks

Prue Catton - Auckland Hearts - Games 2 + 3

Mikaela Greig - Central Hinds

Polly Inglis - Otago Sparks

Leigh Kasperek - Wellington Blaze - Game 1

Nensi Patel - Northern Brave

Molly Penfold - Auckland Hearts

Georgia Plimmer - Wellington Blaze

Jess Simmons - Canterbury Magicians

Saachi Shahri - Auckland Hearts

Article added: Wednesday 6 March 2024