CLEAR White Ferns winter training squad named

CLEAR White Ferns winter training squad named
New Zealand Cricket - 28 May 2001

New Zealand Cricket has named the 19 strong CLEAR White Ferns winter training squad to continue preparation for the international playing programme next season.

Features of the announcement are the naming of eight players who have yet to make their international debut including the four players who are currently attending the New Zealand Cricket Academy.

Eleven players named in the squad were part of the World Champion CLEAR White Ferns.

With Debbie Hockley and Catherine Campbell having retired and Katrina Keenan and Clare Nicholson currently unavailable for selection, the squad is in a rebuilding phase. Nine players have been promoted from the New Zealand 'A' squad following camps in April and early May.

Three seventeen year olds are named in the squad - the promising Northern Districts pace bowling duo Nicola Browne and Louise Milliken, and Timaru all-rounder Maria Fahey.

The Central Districts pair Aimee Mason (18) and Philippa Gerrish (18), who are members of the 2001 New Zealand Cricket Academy, have been selected along with the two Canterbury members of the Academy, pace bowler Sarah Burke (19) and all-rounder Fiona Fraser (20). All four Academy members are full-time students at Lincoln University.

Right arm off spinner Anna Corbin (20) has been rewarded with selection after having the best economy rate of 2.18 in last season's State Insurance Cup.

All six Major Associations have representatives in the squad with Canterbury having the most with six players, followed by the State Auckland Hearts and State Central Districts with four players, State Wellington and State Northern Districts with two players and State Otago Sparks with one player.

The squad will assemble for monthly camps throughout the winter commencing in June.

Convenor of the National Selectors Lesley Murdoch says:

"The CLEAR White Ferns have entered a transition phase and the New Zealand 'A' squad camps provided the selectors with an opportunity to view the next level of players who performed well at State Insurance Cup level. It is now up to all players in the squad to try and cement places in the CLEAR White Ferns to tour India later in the year.

"Naming three 17 year olds and two 18 year olds the selectors have invested in young talent. There is a testing international programme in the next 18 months with a tour to India and a series against Australia. New Zealand Cricket is looking forward to the talented youngsters blending in with the experienced players to form a competitive unit as we look towards the next World Cup in January 2005 in South Africa."

It is expected that the CLEAR White Ferns team to tour India will be named in early October.

The CLEAR White Ferns will also play a home series against Australia in February 2002 and a series is also planned against Australia at Youth level in February 2002 in Australia.

The full squad is: Nicola Browne, Louise Milliken (Northern Districts); Sarah Burke, Maria Fahey, Paula Flannery, Fiona Fraser, Nicola Payne, Haidee Tiffen (Canterbury); Anna Corbin, Anna O'Leary (Wellington); Emily Drumm, Kathryn Ramel, Rebecca Rolls, Helen Watson (Auckland); Philippa Gerrish, Erin McDonald, Aimee Mason, Emily Travers (Central Districts); Rachel Pullar (Otago).

Related Link	Women's Cricket
Teams	New Zealand.
First Class Teams	Auckland, Canterbury, Central Districts, Northern Districts, Otago, Wellington.
Players/Umpires	Debbie Hockley, Catherine Campbell, Katrina Keenan, Clare Nicholson, Lesley Murdoch, Paula Flannery, Nicola Payne, Haidee Tiffen, Anna O'Leary, Emily Drumm, Kathryn Ramel, Rebecca Rolls, Helen Watson, Erin McDonald, Emily Travers, Rachel Pullar.