Wellington Blaze team named

CRICKET WELLINGTON MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Wellington Blaze team named for Women’s domestic season opener

The Wellington Blaze team to meet the Canterbury Magicians at Redwood Park, Christchurch, in the opening round of the 2009/10 domestic Women’s 1-Day and Twenty20 competitions on 4, 5 and 6 December is:

Megan Wakefield - Captain

Lucy Doolan - Vice Captain

Sarah Bradbury

Kerry Anne Tomlinson

Amanda Cooper

Sophie Devine

Mindy Hodgson

Liz Perry

Sian Ruck

Andrea Stockwell

Alex Evans

Michelle Bunkall

The Blaze and the Magicians meet at Redwood Park in Christchurch over three days in re-runs of both last year’s domestic 1-day and Twenty20 finals.

Blaze Coach Mark Borthwick says the squad is fit and raring to go for the season ahead:

“The girls have trained really well so far as a unit and under the captaincy of Megan Wakefield they are rejuvenated and very excited about the season.  The girls are keen to try and do the double this year and bring home both the Twenty20 and 50-over one-day titles,” he says.

“This Blaze side is loaded with talent. However individuals in the group are going to have to keep their feet firmly on the ground and take individual responsibility for their particular areas. This individual focus will ensure success as talent alone will only get this unit part of the way to achieving their goals.

“The return of White Ferns Sophie Devine and Sian Ruck as the opening pair and the addition of first change and emerging White Fern Allex Evans to the mix makes for a strong opening bowling attack. The relatively unknown Michelle Bunkall will debut against Canterbury. Consistent club form last season and this season has seen Michelle selected into the mix while the guile and experience of Lucy Doolan makes for a useful attack with the ball.

“The batting line up sees a packed and talented top and middle order with Liz Perry showing ominous signs of taking up where she left off last season while Sarah Bradbury has made really good strides in terms of developing her game in the off season.

“Seasoned veterans Amanda Cooper, Sophie Devine and Megan Wakefield are all champing at the bit and keen to get the season under way with all three looking to dominate the competition with the bat.”

 This first weekend against Canterbury is the first of five full rounds of three days’ cricket each against the other Major Association teams, the Magicians, the Northern Spirit, the Central Hinds, the Auckland Hearts and the Otago Sparks.

Twenty20 matches are played on the first of the three days, followed by two 1-day 50 over fixtures on the second and third days, with the Women’s 1-Day and Twenty20 finals on 30 and 31 January respectively.

The Blaze play three rounds at home, against the Hearts at Barton Oval at Upper Hutt from 11-13 December, against the Spirit at Kelburn Park from 3-5 January and against the Hinds from 22-24 January at Kelburn and the Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve.

The two 1-dayers against the Hinds are at Kelburn, while the Twenty20 fixture on 24 January at the Basin Reserve is a curtain-raiser to the Men’s HRV Cup Twenty20 match against the Northern Knights.

ENDS

© Scoop Media