Lauren Down has made a comeback to the New Zealand team for the England tour.
Lauren Down makes a comeback to the New Zealand women’s team after a hiatus following the birth of her first child.
Down, who last appeared in the T20 World Cup in February 2023, has earned a spot in the one-day squad for New Zealand’s forthcoming tour of England.
Additionally, Mikaela Greig has been named in the squad for both the ODI and T20I matches, while pacer Molly Penfold, who impressed against England A earlier this year, features in both formats.
In unfortunate news, fast bowler Rosemary Mair will miss the series due to a back issue that previously sidelined her during the ODI series against England in April.
Hayley Jensen’s absence from the squad is attributed to ongoing rehabilitation for a calf injury.
However, Lea Tahuhu, who is awaiting the birth of her second child in New Zealand, is slated to join the squad for the T20I series.
“We’re really pleased to have Lauren back in the WHITE FERNS,” said head coach Ben Sawyer.
“She’s been working hard over the past four months to get herself into a position where she feels confident to play, and this tour feels like the right time to bring her back into the fold.
Every series is an opportunity to test what our best playing XI looks like, and with T20 and One Day World Cups looming it will be good to see where Lauren and Mikaela could fit in.
“The players have spent the past six weeks training incredibly hard, and we’ve been ticking all the boxes that we can to get ready.
When we faced England at home, we didn’t get the results we were after, but we did see gutsy performances from a range of players, which was really promising.
Anytime you play a world-class team like England in their own backyard, it’s going to be a challenge.
But with the work that’s been put in, we’ve got ourselves into the best position possible to succeed,” added Sawyer.
The series kicks off in late June with the ODI leg.
New Zealand squad:
| Player Name |
|---|
| Sophie Devine (Captain) |
| Suzie Bates |
| Eden Carson |
| Lauren Down (ODIs) |
| Izzy Gaze (WK) |
| Maddy Green |
| Mikaela Greig |
| Brooke Halliday |
| Fran Jonas |
| Leigh Kasperek (T20Is) |
| Jess Kerr |
| Melie Kerr |
| Molly Penfold |
| Georgia Plimmer |
| Hannah Rowe |
| Lea Tahuhu (T20Is) |
The three 50-over matches are scheduled to take place on:
| S.NO | DATE | MATCHES | VENUES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun-26 | 1st ODI | Durham |
| 2 | Jun-30 | 2nd ODI | Worcester |
| 3 | Jul-03 | 3rd ODI | Bristol |
This will be followed by a series of five T20Is:
| S.NO | DATE | MATCHES | VENUES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul-06 | 1st T20I | Southampton |
| 2 | Jul-09 | 2nd T20I | Hove |
| 3 | Jul-11 | 3rd T20I | Canterbury |
| 4 | Jul-13 | 4th T20I | The Oval |
| 5 | Jul-17 | 5th T20I | Lord’s |
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