CLEAR White Ferns winter training squads named

CLEAR White Ferns winter training squads named
New Zealand Cricket - 19 March 2001

New Zealand Cricket has named two women's winter training squads to prepare for the international playing programme next summer.

Two squads are named - a National squad of 10 players and a New Zealand "A" squad of 13 players.

All 10 players named in the National Squad were part of the World Champion CLEAR White Ferns.

The National Squad will assemble for an initial assessment weekend on 28 and 29 April and then reassemble in June for monthly camps throughout the winter at which time the squad will be increased to 18 players.

The New Zealand 'A' squad contains 13 players who will attend two training camps that are being used as a screening process before the National Squad is increased to 18 players in June.

The New Zealand 'A' squad will assemble for two training weekends on 20, 21 and 22 April and 18, 19 and 20 May. At the conclusion of this second camp the National Squad will be increased to 18 players.

The four women included in this year's intake at the New Zealand Cricket Academy have been named in the New Zealand 'A' squad - Fiona Fraser and Sarah Burke from Canterbury and Aimee Mason and Philippa Gerrish from Central Districts'.

Also included in the New Zealand 'A' squad is three players with previous international experience - Kate Pulford and Erin McDonald from Central Districts' and Munokoa Tunupopo from Auckland.

The 16-year-old Otago wicket keeper/batsman Katey Martin is included, as is Auckland pace bowler Natalee Scripps, who took 18 wickets in the State Insurance Cup. Two off-spinners - Anna Corbin from Wellington and Maria Fahey from Canterbury - and the promising Northern Districts' pace bowling duo of Nicola Brown and Louise Milliken, complete the 'A' squad.

Four key players from the CricInfo Women's World Cup, won by the CLEAR White Ferns, were unavailable for selection. They are Catherine Campbell, Debbie Hockley, Katrina Keenan and Clare Nicholson.

Convenor of the National Selectors Lesley Murdoch says:

"It has been a demanding 12 months for the CLEAR White Ferns beginning with an intensive winter build-up leading into the CricInfo Women's World Cup, and ending with the State Insurance Cup. As a result the national selectors have decided that the national squad should meet in April to set the scene for the winter and then reconvene at the end of June.

"The CLEAR White Ferns will now enter a re-building phase following the non-availability of four leading players. The national selectors have identified pace bowling and spin bowling as areas that need to be addressed. As a result the New Zealand 'A' squad has a good mix of pace and spin bowlers who have performed well at State Insurance Cup level. These players now have an opportunity to cement places within the full National Squad to attend camps from June through the winter," Murdoch said.

The CLEAR White Fern's international playing programme is not yet confirmed but is likely to include a tour to India in November/December 2001 and home series against both England and Australia in February 2002. A series against the Australian Youth team is also planned for New Zealand 'A' in February 2002.

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