NZ A Women’s Tour to England: A Review
Vincent Jones reviews the New Zealand A Women's tour to England with a general review of how each player did on the tour.
New Zealand A have wrapped up their tour to England with a solitary T20 win to their names, but most games ended in close finishes between the sides. There were some strong standouts across the tour with highlights being Georgia Plimmer’s century in the second List A game and Jess Watkin’s six wicket haul in the first T20 match.
Other notable performances throughout the tour with the bat came from Bella James (80) and Izzy Gaze (81) in the first List A game along with a 55 from 37 by Flora Devonshire in the second List A game. Plimmer (51*), Watkin (42), and Gaze (41) also contributed at the top of the order across the T20 series.
There was really little success in the bowling department across the tour apart from Watkin’s haul and Bree Illing’s 4/64 in the second List A fixture.
The tour was seen as an opportunity for some newer talent to get more game time under their belt with the likes of recent White Ferns Emma McLeod, Polly Inglis, Devonshire, Izzy Sharp, Illing and James to get some game time.
Hannah Rowe also dipped out of the White Ferns at the end of the summer whilst Gaze, Plimmer, and Penfold have had injury troubles of late.
Squad changes compared to the 2023/24 England A tour to Aotearoa:
In: Izzy Gaze, Jess Watkin, Bella James, Emma McLeod, Izzy Sharp, Hannah Rowe, Anna Browning, and Amie Hucker.
Out: Kate Anderson, Saachi Shahri, Mikaela Greig (retired), Leigh Kasperek, Hayley Jensen (retired), Claudia Green, Sarah Asmussen, Prue Catton, Caitlin Blakely, Eden Carson, and Jess Simmons.
Players to play both series: Georgia Plimmer, Flora Devonshire, Polly Inglis, Molly Penfold, Bree Illing, Nensi Patel, and Emma Black.
Results:
List A: England A won by 6 runs, England A won by 2 runs, England A won by 6 wickets.
T20: England A won 10 runs, New Zealand A won by 8 wickets, England A won by 6 wickets.
All players that featured on the tour have been split into the respective categories of good, mediocre, lacking, and bad to show how they did on the tour along with their stats and a general overview of their mahi .
Good
Izzy Gaze:
Batting:
List A: 81 runs @81.00/137.28sr, 81 high score
T20: 74 runs @24.66/160.86sr, 41 high score
Gaze only featured in the first List A fixture, she made it count with a classy 81 from just 59 balls combining for partnerships with James (97 run stand) and Rowe (44 run stand) to get the New Zealand A into a position where they could have won the first match. One catch also fell to James behind the stumps off Illing’s bowling and seven byes were also let through.
There was also value shown by Gaze at the top of the order and with the captaincy armband in the T20 matches with a classy 41 from just 22 balls in the first T20. With Watkin’s six-wicket haul taking the limelight for the game, Gaze’s quickfire knock can be credited as helping the New Zealand A to fall just ten runs short of the total of the required 164 runs.
Striking at over 160 in the T20s shows that Gaze has clearly worked on her attacking game and could become vital for the White Ferns middle order at the backend of important T20 innings.
The reason behind Gaze being ranked in the good category is due to her knock in the List A game and the high strike rate that she had in the T20 series.
Jess Watkin:
Batting:
List A: 61 runs @20.33/87.14sr, 35 high score
T20: 88 runs @29.33/129.41, 42 high score
Bowling:
List A: 23ov, 3w @38.00/4.95rpo, 1/17 best bowling
T20: 12ov, 8w @7.37/4.91rpo, 6/21 best bowling
Watkin had a stunning T20 series with the ball, getting her best figures in the first match. Going at under five an over across both series shows the class of Watkin with the ball and conceding just 16 runs from four overs in the final match, nearly helped to get the side over the line.
There were also some good moments with the bat for Watkin with averages over 20 in both formats and high scores over 30. The 42 in the second T20 got New Zealand A through to victory whilst Watkin’s 35 from 30 in the third T20 was the joint top score for the side.
With none of the other bowlers standing up and dominating with the ball across the T20 matches, the continued all-round excellence from Watkin was vital for New Zealand A. She would be the New Zealand A T20 player of the series for her efforts.
It was the all-round ability of Watkin throughout the tour that showed she still has plenty to offer at 27 and is continuing to push for a recall to the national side for the first time since 2018.
Georgia Plimmer:
Batting:
List A: 114 runs @38.00/87.02sr, 100 high score
T20: 78 runs @39.00/109.85sr, 51* high score
Plimmer showed her value at the top of the order, scoring the only century of the series for the New Zealand A side. Having played over 60 games for the White Ferns, Plimmer was always going to bring experience to the side even at the age of 21.
Whilst she didn’t fare as good in the other two List A games with scores of 14 and a duck, her century propels her into having a good tour alongside the half-century that was made in the second T20.
Plimmer’s key game of the T20 series was the second fixture at Beckenham where she built a 61-run stand with Watkin and a 60-run stand with James. Despite this, Plimmer did fail in the other two matches with scores of 14 and 13.
The half-century and century meant Plimmer had a good tour along with building some new learnings to continue her game development for the White Ferns.
Bree Illing:
Batting:
List A: 1 run @-/50.00sr, 1* high score
T20: 0 @-/0sr, 0* high score
Bowling:
List A: 19ov, 6w @19.16/6.05rpo, 4/64 best bowling
T20: 7ov, 1w @59.00/8.42rpo, 1/37 best bowling
Illing was the best bowler in the List A leg of the tour with six wickets to her name including a 4-fer in the second match. Having made her White Ferns earlier in the year and received a NZC central contract, there is clearly a future in the side for her with her left arm seamers.
There was little success for Illing in the T20 series, however, with only one wicket to her name and going at over 8 an over across the seven overs she bowled. This is well above Illing’s Super Smash economy of just 5.83, a place where she has shown great line and lengths for Auckland with her point of difference.
Whilst the T20 tour made Illing’s overall figures across the tour not look stunning, the List A section of the tour left Illing with some quality takeaways from her bowling efforts. Illing will be looking to learn from her mistakes in the T20 side as a way to continue to push for selection in the top White Ferns XI’s.
Bella James:
Batting:
List A: 109 runs @36.33/90.83sr, 80 high score
T20: 35 runs @35.00/120.68sr, 32* high score
James led the side in the List A portion of the series and performed well across the three games, aided by her 80 from 86 in the first fixture at Derby. She built stands with Sharp and Gaze to rescue the side from 46/3 in pursuit of 298, with the side falling 7 runs short of victory.
Batting at number four across the series shows that as a position that the national side may be looking to play her in, especially with Sophie Devine’s retirement from ODI’s following the World Cup. James could only make one in the second match and was the third top run scorer in the final match with 28, as New Zealand A were bundled out for 129.
James only played in two of the T20 matches with a vital 32* from 26 to see New Zealand A over the line in the second T20 whilst she fell for three in the final game of the tour.
There have been some glimpses of success for James at the international level, making 27 from 33 on debut against Australia and contributed 14 from nine on T20I debut. Opportunities will come for Gaze at the international level after churning away at domestic level for over 10 years.
Mediocre
Emma Black:
Batting:
List A: 33 runs @-/89.18sr, 32* high score
T20: 4 runs @-/100.00sr, 4* high score
Bowling:
List A: 17ov, 2w @42.00/4.94rpo, 2/33 best bowling
T20: 8ov, 2w @26.50/6.62rpo, 2/30 best bowling
Black had a good summer coming into the A tour with 13 wickets in both the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield and the Super Smash. This led to a call-up to the White Ferns for the final fixture of the Sri Lanka series, but she did not make her debut.
Whilst Black did only take four wickets across the A tour, she did come in handy with the bat at number nine in the first game with 32*. She was able to keep her bowling tight in the four games (2 LA, 2 T20) that she featured in, going at under five an over in the List A and just over 6.5 in the T20s.
In the two List A games she played in, New Zealand A only took four wickets in each of those matches. No wickets fell to Black in the first game but she did pick up her two in the final List A game. Black also grabbed two wickets in the T20 win, helping to restrict England A to 142.
There will be continued opportunities at the international level for Black and selection in the last two A tours show that the selectors clearly have her in the plans.
Flora Devonshire:
Batting:
List A: 59 runs @19.66/125.53sr, 55 high score
T20: 37 runs @18.50/102.66sr, 35 high score
Bowling:
List A: 13ov, 1w @82.0/6.30rpo, 1/30 best bowling
T20: 6ov, 2w @25.50/8.50rpo, 1/14 best bowling
Devonshire impressed throughout parts of the tour, but particularly with the bat where she struck 55 from just 37 balls in a two run loss for Aotearoa A.
When Devonshire came onto the domestic scene she was mainly used as a bowler, but has grown in her batting abilities with four List A half-centuries to her name since the start of the 2024/25 season. Whilst the rest of the List A series wasn’t as good for Devonshire with the bat (scores of zero and four), the half-century would have given her good confidence.
The T20 batting side for Devonshire was a bit of reflection of her List A mahi as well with two runs in the first T20 and then 35 in the final match. Devonshire did not bat in New Zealand A’s eight wicket win.
Bowling in the List A matches wasn’t the best for Devonshire with only one wicket across the 13 overs she bowled whilst going at over 6rpo. There were only six overs bowled by Devonshire in the T20s with two wickets falling to her.
Continued all-round performances will keep reminding the White Ferns of the talent that Devonshire possesses as she tries to get her way into continued games for the national side.
Lacking
Emma McLeod:
Batting:
List A: 77 runs @25.66/69.36sr, 43 high score
T20: 4 runs @4.00/66.66sr, 4 high score
McLeod would have felt she had a disappointing tour with the bat. The 19-year old played in the three List A matches and the first T20 before being replaced by James.
She had starts in the first and third List A games, making 17 on both occasions before being dismissed whilst her 43 in the second match was fantastic in a 132 run opening stand alongside Plimmer. Little success came in the T20s for McLeod, making only four runs in her one game.
Further opportunities will arise for McLeod to build on her six internationals for the White Ferns and she is clearly seen as a player who can make her mark on the international arena.
Polly Inglis:
List A: 34 runs @17.00/121.42sr, 30 high score
T20: 0 runs @-/0sr, 0 high score
Inglis would have wanted more opportunities with the bat throughout the tour in the four matches that she played in. The recently capped White Fern did show her value behind the stumps in the one day games with four catches and a stumping.
A quick 30 from 23 balls came off Inglis’ bat in the final List A game to go along with her four runs from the second game. In the T20s she made an eight ball duck in the first and a golden duck in the final match.
Inglis would have wanted to get a few more runs under her belt, but her efforts behind the stumps were useful for the side and future development of White Ferns keepers.
Izzy Sharp:Batting:List A: 29 runs @9.66/59.18sr, 25 high scoreT20: 46 runs @23.00/148.38sr, 38 high score
Sharp had a disappointing series and would’ve felt like she’d left some runs behind. She featured in all six games, batting in the three List A and in two of the T20s.
With the majority of Sharp’s runs in both formats coming in one innings, it does show that she was able to get off to starts in those games but struggled in her other innings. Her 38 in the first T20 came off just 23 balls which reinforces that she can hit quick runs.
Whilst the runs across the whole tour were dry for Sharp, the glimpses that she did show will have reminded the White Ferns selectors that she can have a future in the middle order as a finisher.
Hannah Rowe:
Batting:
List A: 40 runs @13.33/72.72sr, 30 high score
T20: 19 runs @19.00/95.00sr, 19 high score
Bowling:
List A: 21ov, 2w @49.00/4.66rpo, 2/46 best bowling
T20: 7.4ov, 2w @27.00/7.04rpo, 1/25 best bowling
Rowe would have had a disappointing tour by her standards with only four wickets across the five games that she played in. Having dropped out of the White Ferns main XI at the back end of the summer, a strong series would have been wanted by the all-rounder, but she wasn’t able to dominate.
There were signs of good fortune for Rowe with 30 from 29 balls in the first List A game but was followed by scores of ten and three. She only had one bat in the two T20 matches she played with a score of 19 from 20.
The bowling however wasn’t the best, going wicketless in the first and third List A games whilst she picked up a wicket in each of the T20s.
Rowe will want to go back to domestic cricket next summer and continue to dominate for the Central Hinds to force her way back into regular international cricket.
Bad
Anna Browning:
Batting:
List A: Did not play
T20: 2 runs @2.00/100.00sr, 2 high score
Bowling:
List A: Did not play
T20: 2ov, 0w @-/11.00rpo, 0/22 best bowling
There is little to write about Browning’s tour, only featuring in the final T20 match, where made two runs at number nine and bowled two overs without taking a wicket.
Throughout the domestic season, the 21-year-old showed she is a player for the future, particularly in the List A format with 77 runs in the HBJ Shield and 13 wickets. Continued performances with bat and ball will keep giving Browning more opportunities and her move from Auckland to Otago has clearly helped her career.
Amie Hucker:
Batting:
List A: 3 runs @3.00/150.00sr, 3 high score
T20: 0 runs @-/0sr, 0* high score
Bowling:
List A: 9ov, 0w @-/8.33rpo, 0/75 best bowling
T20: 6ov, 1w @36.00/6.00rpo, 1/23 best bowling
Hucker only played in one of the List A games and the final two T20 games with disappointing performances, only managing a single wicket across the three games. The 23-year-old had a good season with Auckland where she was their second best bowler with 16 wickets.
An expensive economy rate of 8.33rpo brings Hucker into the group of having a bad tour along with her grabbing the single wicket in the final T20 match.
Hucker is regularly finding herself in Auckland’s first XI in both formats and has formed a solid partnership alongside Molly Penfold, Josie Penfold, and Bree Illing. She will be wanting to continue her solid List A wicket taking mahi next season if she wants to keep getting A opportunities.
Molly Penfold:
Batting:
List A: 14 runs @7.00/93.33sr, 14 high score
T20: 0 runs @-/0sr, 0 high score
Bowling:
List A: 10ov, 0w @-/6.60rpo, 0/21 best bowling
T20: 7ov, 0w @-/9.85rpo, 0/30 best bowling
Penfold’s tour was bad in all ways for the White Ferns pacer. Having come back from a torn meniscus, Penfold would have been looking to get back into some mahi and show that she is of value, to try and get herself back into the White Ferns side.
With no wickets across the four games that she played in, Penfold would have been disappointed with her bowling efforts. Going at nearly ten runs an over in the T20s and over 6.5rpo in the List A games is another area that brought Penfold’s tour down.
With the emergence of Illing and that the point of difference that she, there is a risk that Penfold’s lost her space in the White Ferns squads. She’ll be looking for more wickets next summer with an aim of getting regular international cricket under her belt.
Nensi Patel:
Batting:
List A: 10 runs @5.00/33.33sr, 5 high score
T20: 24 runs @24.00/92.30sr, 24 high score
Bowling:
List A: 13.4ov, 1w @69.00/5.04rpo, 1/21 best bowling
T20: 4ov, 0w @-/9.25rpo, 0/8 best bowling
Patel did not show her best cricket mahi throughout the tour with limited success in both the List A and T20 sides. She featured in two of the List A and two of the T20 games, where she really only had one performance of note with her 24 from 26 in the first T20.
Having taken nine HBJ and six Super Smash wickets throughout the domestic season, the formerly contracted White Fern from the 2022/23 season would have been wanting to continue on that effort. She was also Northern’s second top run scorer for the HBJ season with 245 runs, three ahead of Yaz Kareem and 278 behind Caitlin Gurrey.
Patel was expensive across her four overs in the T20s, going at over nine an over whilst she did keep it tight in the List A matches. For Patel to make her way back to the White Ferns contracted group she will need a huge summer for Northern, especially with the emergence of other all-round talents like Devonshire and Watkin.