White Ferns Team Preview: A new country, a new challenge!

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Maryam Mallick
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White Ferns Team Preview: A new country, a new challenge!

White Ferns are a strong all-round team. ©Cricket365

With the Irish leg of their Northern Tour complete, the White Ferns now move to the tri-series between them, England and South Africa. In their series with Ireland, the White Ferns had statisticians running mad, breaking records upon records, whether individual or team. They utterly dominated over their opponents in a whirl-wind ODI series where all three totals broke the 400-runs barrier.



The question now stands: will they be able to carry on their formidable form against stronger sides than their previous opponents?  Though that question cannot be answered with 100% surety, they certainly have the team to continue their winning ways.



 



Key Players:



Once again New Zealand’s hard-hitting skipper Suzie Bates will play a pivotal role in terms of batting, opening the innings with the equally destructive Sophie Devine, to help her side either post a daunting total or chase one down.



The spotlight, however, will be on 17-year old Amelia Kerr with both bat and ball. After her scintillating knock of 232*, the young leg-spinner has earned the title of a true all-rounder as she then went on to take a 5- fer in the same match. In this series, she will be useful to the White Ferns for some power hitting down the order as well as taking wickets at crucial moments to help her side win matches.



 



Strengths:



The White Ferns have arguably one of the best batting line-ups in Women’s cricket at the moment and that is most definitely where their strength lies. However, they also have an equally accomplished bowling unit which makes their team well-rounded and one that their opponents will be wary of heading into the tri-series.



 



Weaknesses:



Though this was not a problem in the series with Ireland, in their practice matches with England Women’s Academy some miscommunications from the White Ferns side have taken place, resulting in two run-outs in the previous match, including that of skipper Bates, which the White Ferns will look to improve upon.



A matter that the White Ferns will also deliberate upon is finding the right balance between their experienced players and new-comers. The two debutants Jess Watkin and Bernadine Bezuidenhout put in impressive performances in their series against Ireland but, the selectors will now need to answer some tough questions. 'Will there be room for Watkin at the top of the order if Devine opens the batting with Bates?' and 'With regular keeper, Katey Martin’s return to the side, will wicket-keeper Bezuidenhout still be part of the playing eleven?' In a way, the White Ferns weakness has become having too many talented players to choose from- which isn’t really a weakness at all. It’s just a massive challenge for the selectors.



 



Previous Results:



The White Ferns come into this series on the back of three T20 white-wash series’. Since the conclusion of the Women’s World Cup, New Zealand has played three T20 series; against Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland. Remarkably, all three have been clean sweeps and the White Ferns will be looking to continue that form in the tri-series, leading all the way up to the T20 World Cup in November.



 



Importance:



This tri-series is important for New Zealand to see how their team fares against some slightly tougher opposition than their previous ones and to identify the areas they still need to tweak in order to improve enough to be crowned the champions in the T20 World Cup.
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