New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has released the names of centrally contracted women’s national team players for the 2023–2024 season. This includes the return of star right-arm pacer Lea Tahuhu and wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout.
Last year, Lea Tahuhu was not on the NZC contract list, but this year he is. The 32-year-old has been a key member of the White Ferns for a long time. She has played in 84 ODIs and 75 T20Is for her country. Tahuhu has taken 94 wickets in one-day internationals (ODIs) and 72 wickets in T20Is. Last year, Tahuhu took 12 wickets in nine ODIs, for an average of 26.33. This year, she has been great in T20Is. In just four games, she has taken eight wickets, which is a great record.
Bernadine Bezuidenhout got better from RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), and she played cricket again during the T20 World Cup in South Africa earlier this year. It must have hurt to not play for two years, but her first NZC deal since 2019–2020 should make her feel a lot better.
Kate Anderson, a talented batter who is 27 years old, got her first deal after doing well in the Super Smash, where she scored 536 runs in 12 games and averaged a record-breaking 59.55. After her Super Smash performances, Anderson was also named the Women’s Domestic Player of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket Awards.
Jess Mc Fayden, the wicketkeeper, and Nensi Patel, the all-rounder, did not get their contracts for the 2022-2023 season extended, which is a shame. Lauren Down, a 28-year-old batter, chose not to sign a contract because of her family.
NZC’s Head of High Performance for Women, Liz Green, says good things about the hired players.
NZC was the first cricket board in the world to pay both men and women the same amount for each match. In 2022, a major choice was made. Liz Green, who is the NZ Head of Female High Performance, praised the organisation of NZC and the women’s cricket team.
“We’re happy with the high-performance structures we’ve put in place for women, and we think they’ll help them do well in the future on the world stage,” Green told ESPNCricinfo, quoting him.
“We think these players have the skills and drive to improve as cricket players and do New Zealand proud on the international stage.”
White Ferns’ deal list for 2023–2024:
Kate Anderson, Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, and Lea Tahuhu.
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