Source: Radio New Zealand
NZ White Ferns celebrate. Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
The bar has been raised in women’s cricket and the White Ferns are confident they can meet the challenge.
New Zealand will defend their T20 World Cup title in England later this year in what coach Ben Sawyer believes will be a significant step up from the tournament they won in Dubai in 2024.
The White Ferns surprised many with their performance two years ago but Sawyer said the team met many of their performance markers on the way to victory.
“Our big thing for the World Cup in Dubai was we need to score 160 and we worked on that for 18 months leading into it. We’re now talking 180,” Sawyer told RNZ.
Four of New Zealand’s highest ever innings in T20 internationals have been scored this year – and in two of those they made at least 190. They also scored 300 twice in the ODI series against South Africa.
The side used the last 20 overs of that 50-over series against South Africa as a T20 test to score 180 and they managed to achieve it.
“I’m really confident going into the World Cup that we’re going to be able to make those scores that are going to be really competitive,” Sawyer said.
New Zealand has developed a long batting line-up with Jess Kerr batting at eight, something Sawyer said they will need at the World Cup.
“We’ve had that plan since the last World Cup that we know the scores in England are going to be big so we’ve worked really hard in the background to try and get ourselves into that position.”
New Zealand White Ferns Brooke Halliday. Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
That was realised with the likes of Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze emerging as key batters.
“I feel that in the past some of our players have probably given the strike to the likes of Sophie (Devine) or Melie (Kerr) of Suzie (Bates), as they’re such great players that they’ll get it done but that is the real change in this team, I’d like to think the entire batting order feel they can get it done.”
In both series against South Africa, New Zealand didn’t always get off to a productive start to their innings, but Walter isn’t concerned.
“While a few more runs at the top would be nice, we’ve challenged our players to have fast starts up the top and with that comes risk, so it is hard to be critical when you push people to go hard and then they get out.
“We don’t expect both, we’d really love you to go hard and not get out but that’s not a reality so our girls won be criticised for that.”
Walter said their success in recent years is something that had been developing long before the 2024 World Cup success and believes keeping faith in players has been critical.
New Zealand White Ferns captain Melie Kerr Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
