New Zealand Cricket has announced a 13-member squad for the New Zealand XI that will be led by Katie Perkins in the two 50-over warm-up fixtures against England that begin on Sunday (February 14) at John Davies Oval, Queenstown.A significant number of national team members and experienced domestic campaigners will be participating in the two warm-up matches. New Zealand bowling coach, Jacob Oram will be coaching the side along with Assistant Coach Rob Nicol.The announcement has come a day after the Auckland Hearts were eliminated from the Super Smash T20 competition after the defeat against Wellington Blaze. Left-arm spinner Fran Jonas, who had earned her
maiden New Zealand call-up, is also a part of the squad along with a few of her teammates from the Hearts.
ALSO READ: Allround Amelia Kerr takes Wellington Blaze to Super Smash FinalAnt Sharp, the NZC Head of Women’s High Performance, said that these matches provide an opportunity for players to switch back into one-day cricket after the Super Smash T20 tournament. “There’s a nice mix of youth and experience in the squad. The warm-up fixtures give a handful of White Ferns an early look at the touring English side while also providing development opportunities for our younger cricketers," he added.With Perkins leading the side, Sharp said that they are looking at the international stars to take on leadership roles within the group. “Naturally the national selectors are keen to look at those players who have performed well domestically. This team provides an opportunity to test those players against a strong touring side," Sharp concluded.New Zealand XI Squad: Katie Perkins (c), Kate Anderson, Natalie Dodd, Lauren Down, Claudia Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Katey Martin (wk), Nensi Patel, Hannah Rowe, Kate Sims
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