Faith in fresh talent
A notable aspect of the White Ferns’ selection is the inclusion of four first-timers at the Cricket World Cup.
The quartet of Polly Inglis, Bella James, Bree Illing and Flora Devonshire have earned a maiden call-up for the marquee tournament. Off them, Devonshire is poised to make her ODI debut on the big stage.
Outlining their skillset and backing the youngsters to make their case in India and Sri Lanka, head coach Ben Sawyer stated, “I’d like to especially acknowledge the four players set for their first World Cup – they’ve all earned this opportunity and I’m excited to see what impact they can have on the tournament.”
“Bree puts batters under pressure early with her swing and has great ability with the new ball.
“Her and Flora have both shown they can consistently bring the stumps into play, which will be effective in the conditions we’re going to face.
“Bella‘s a versatile batter who can hit 360 degrees around the ground and can bat in most places in the line up.
“Polly gives us another option with the gloves within the squad, and she possesses great grit and determination, which are qualities that will be important in trying conditions.”