Photo Credit: New Zealand Cricket
Sophie Devine will return to captain the WHITE FERNS for the third and final Dulux ODI against England at Seddon Park on Sunday.
Devine missed the last three matches of the England tour with a quad strain but has been brought back after passing a fitness test in Hamilton yesterday.
WHITE FERNS head coach Ben Sawyer said Devine’s return would give the team a boost for the final game of the series.
“Having Sophie lead them out tomorrow will fill the team with confidence,” said Sawyer.
“Sophie is always going to be a big miss whenever she is unavailable so we’re delighted to be able to bring her back.”
However, as Devine returns, opening batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout departs, ruled out after pulling a hamstring at Seddon Park on Thursday.
Bezuidenhout received the injury while fielding on the boundary and coaching staff opted not to send her out to bat at the back-end of the second innings.
A scan in Hamilton this morning has revealed a Grade 1 hamstring strain which will require a short period of rehabilitation.
“We’re disappointed for Bernie, who’s already faced her fair share of injury challenges this summer,” said Sawyer.
“We’re hoping she will make a quick recovery as we look ahead to a busy winter of cricket.”
Eden Carson has been called in to the group to make up the 13-player squad for the final match of the New Zealand home summer. Mikaela Greig will also join the wider group as extra cover.
Name of Author: New Zealand Cricket
The New Zealand national cricket team, known as the Black Caps, made their Test debut in 1930 against England in Christchurch, becoming the fifth nation to play Test cricket. After waiting 26 years for their first Test win against the West Indies in 1956, they also played their first ODI in 1972–73 against Pakistan. New Zealand are the inaugural World Test Championship champions (2021) and have won the ICC Champions Trophy (2000). They have reached the Cricket World Cup final twice and the T20 World Cup final once.
