Failure to gain NZC contract leads White Fern to retire
WHITE FERNS vicecaptain Amy Satterthwaite has retired from international cricket after a glittering 15year career at the top level.
The 35yearold lefthander made the decision after being advised she would not be offered an annual New Zealand Cricket playing contract for the 202223 season.
Satterthwaite, who is New Zealand’s most capped women’s ODI player, will continue to play domestic cricket for Canterbury and has a contract with the Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred in August.
Satterthwaite, who captained the White Ferns in 2018 and 2019, made her international debut in 2007 and went on to play 111 T20Is and 145 ODIs.
Satterthwaite said her decision was coated in sadness.
“It has been a tough few days after learning of NZC’s decision to head in a new direction and contract some younger cricketers,’’ she said in a press release.
“I am disappointed not to be receiving a contract and believe I still had more to offer. However, I respect NZC’s decision and I wish the White Ferns all the best as they embark on an exciting winter of cricket, including the Commonwealth Games.’’
Satterthwaite described her international career as an incredible journey in which special memories and lifelong friendships were formed.
Satterthwaite was looking forward to spending more time with her family, while also keeping her hand in in cricket and giving back to the game that she said “gave her so much”.
In a career full of achievements, perhaps the greatest was Satterthwaite’s world recordequalling four consecutive ODI centuries in 201617, a feat only matched by Sri Lankan batting great Kumar Sangakkara.
She is the second highest runscorer in New Zealand women’s ODI cricket, and the seventh highest of all time. Satterthwaite struck seven centuries and 27 halfcenturies while scoring 4639 runs at an average of 38.33 — while also taking 50 ODI wickets at a shade under 30.
In T20I cricket, her 1784 runs are the third highest in New Zealand women’s history, while she still has the best bowling figures for the White Ferns with six for 17 against England.