NZ seek to follow in Aussie footsteps

Reflecting on the lopsided results that bookended both Australia and New Zealand's international summers, White Ferns captain Amy Satterthwaite was quick to point out the one big difference between the trans-Tasman rivals.

Professionalism.

The Australian team who sealed a 3-0 ODI series win in Melbourne on Sunday – having already beaten New Zealand 3-0 in the T20Is at the start of the summer – are full-time athletes, while the White Ferns fall into the semi-professional category.

Case in point: wicketkeeper Katey Martin was forced to miss a one-day series against India last month due to work commitments.

"It is disappointing, but we have to find some positives in there somewhere," Satterthwaite said of the series defeat on Sunday.

"There have been some. We've been competitive in phases and managed to push them a bit, but we need to be realistic as well.

"We're playing a group of professional players and we've got a little bit of work to do back home to ensure we keep up with a group who are able to train and play full-time."

New Zealand came to Australia without coach Haidee Tiffen, who took personal leave following the results of an internal review into her team's recent disappointing World T20 campaign, which recommended she and her fellow coaching staff be asked to reapply for their positions in June.

With no international series scheduled until next January – a significant gap, given the 2020 T20 World Cup begins next February – the coming months will provide plenty of time for reflection.

And, Satterthwaite hopes, for improvement – although she admits the 10-month gap between international matches requires thought.

Instead of playing together, the top White Ferns will instead look to keep their T20 skills up to scratch in England's Super League and in Australia's Rebel WBBL. 

"We don't have another series until we play South Africa back home in January so it gives us an opportunity we haven't had three four years to have a winter at home," she said.

"Alyssa Healy (said earlier) she had the opportunity to be at home and work on her skills last winter and it shows in the form she's had, so I hope we can do the same this winter with our group of players.

"We're going through a review at the moment, we've got coaches having to reapply for their jobs and we've got a lot of water to go under the bridge over the next couple of months and then see where we are at."

In contrast, Australia have just completed their busiest – and possibly most successful – summer ever. In addition to their limited-overs wins against New Zealand, they also went undefeated against Pakistan in Malaysia in October before winning their fourth T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean, dropping just one match along the way.

"They're a quality side and they've shown that across the last 12 months," Satterthwaite said.

For Australian captain Meg Lanning, the recent results are a reflection of the growing professionalism of the women's game in recent years, which has not only seen her squad become full-time professionals, but the country's domestic players achieve semi-professional status through the WBBL and WNCL.

"I think we are starting to see the real impact of professional training and the fact we are able to do that full-time makes a big difference," Lanning said on Sunday.

"It didn't seem like the gap was there at first but I guess now having been so successful this summer, it's shown we've been able to continue to play really good cricket continuously, and that's probably difficult to do if you're not going that full time.

"Hopefully other countries around the world can continue to develop their programs and give people more opportunities.

"New Zealand are very competitive and we love playing against them, so hopefully down the track we can see some really good series against them as well."

CommBank ODIs v NZ 

February 22: First ODI, WACA Ground, Perth

February 24: Second ODI, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide

March 3: Third ODI, Junction Oval, Melbourne