Weakened teams to face off
The White Ferns will be without their two best players as they chase a rare Twenty20 series victory over England on home soil, starting today.
After a light international summer for the national women’s cricket team, they host England for five T20Is and three ODIs over the next fortnight.
For today’s tour opener in Dunedin, Sophie Devine and Melie Kerr will be absent as they return home from the Women’s Premier League in India. Devine was part of the victorious Royal Challengers Bangalore side who beat Delhi Capitals by eight wickets in the decider.
Both will be back for game two in Nelson on Friday, which means callups for game one for batters Georgia Plimmer and Mikaela Greig. The latter, from Central Hinds, will make her full international debut if chosen in the Ferns XI today.
Suzie Bates will lead the New Zealand side on her home ground, in Devine’s absence.
England, too, are weakened by the WPL commitments, with four players unavailable for the first three T20s.
Alice Capsey (Delhi Capitals), Sophie Ecclestone (UP Warriorz), Nat Sciver-Brunt (Mumbai Indians) and Danni Wyatt (Warriorz) will link up with the squad ahead of the fourth T20I in Wellington next
Wednesday. Heather Knight, who pulled out of a WPL deal to play the full New Zealand series, will lead them in Dunedin.
The history
England and the White Ferns have met in 30 T20Is stretching back to 2004. The Ferns have won just seven of those, and England 23.
The last time the two teams met in a series in New Zealand, England swept it 3-0 in Wellington in 2021.
The odds
England are favourites to win the series opener, paying $1.56 at the TAB to New Zealand’s $2.30.
The weather
MetService predicts a fine but chilly day for the match, with light winds and a maximum temperature of 14C.