Former skipper returns to NZ squad for Aussie tour

Former New Zealand captain Amy Satterthwaite will make her return to international cricket next month, after the White Ferns named their 17-player limited-overs squad to travel to Australia.

Allrounder Satterthwaite missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year while on maternity leave after giving birth to her first daughter, Grace, with wife and fellow New Zealand squad member Lea Tahuhu.

She is one of five new faces to the group that contested the ICC tournament, alongside pace bowler Hannah Rowe, allrounder Jess Watkin and wicketkeeper-bat Natalie Dodd who have earned recalls, and leg-spinner Deanna Doughty who is in line for an international debut.

However, New Zealand will be without off-spinners Leigh Kasperek and Anna Peterson.

Scottish-born Kasperek, who sits in the world’s top 10 ranked T20 bowlers, is in the United Kingdom and cannot make the journey to Australia, while Peterson opted out of the tour for personal reasons. 

New Zealand squad: Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Natalie Dodd, Deanna Doughty, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jenson, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Hannah Rowe, Amy Satterthwaite, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Watkin

Satterthwaite will not resume the captaincy she held prior to her pregnancy, with star allrounder Sophie Devine to continue in the role she held during the T20 World Cup.

"We are also thrilled to have Amy back fit and ready to play," New Zealand coach Bob Carter said.

"She has a proven record at the top of the order and has scored heavily against Australia in the past so her experience will be invaluable.

"The team has been working hard in winter camps over the past few months and it will be good to put what we’ve learnt in those sessions into practice against a top-quality opposition like Australia."

The White Ferns’ touring party includes 12 of the 15 players who made the trip over the Tasman for the ICC tournament earlier this year, with wicketkeeper-batter Rachel Priest the other player missing from that group alongside Kasperek and Peterson.

Priest announced her retirement from international cricket earlier this year after missing out on a national contract, and is now living in Hobart, where she holds a state contract with Tasmania.

The White Ferns are due to arrive on September 9, and a statement from Cricket New Zealand said the team would observe strict isolation protocols on arrival into Australia and upon returning to New Zealand, with all three ODIs and three T20Is to be played at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field, between September 26 and October 7.

Cricket Australia has not yet announced any changes to the women’s international schedule announced in May.

For the six members of the White Ferns squad who hold Rebel WBBL contracts, their stay in Australia will be extended, with the sixth edition of the domestic T20 competition to begin in October.

New Zealand will be eager to make amends after their T20 World Cup hopes were ended by Australia in their final group stage match in early March.

They have not beaten Lanning’s team since early 2017, with Australia claiming six ODI and five T20I victories on the bounce since.

Australia, who are on an 18-game winning streak in ODIs, have also held the Rose Bowl Trophy – the silverware awarded for one-day series between the teams – since 2000.

"We’re definitely going over there to bring back the Rose Bowl," Devine said.

"The team are under no illusions - it’s going to be a tough task taking on a world-class Australian team.

"We’re an experienced group and having Amy back in the fold only adds to our batting depth and on-field leadership."

Australia announced an 18-player squad for the limited-overs matches last week, with Ellyse Perry’s availability subject to fitness as she recovers from a major hamstring injury.