Unwanted Tahuhu gets Games reprieve
A month after not receiving a White Ferns contract, Canterbury pace bowler Lea Tahuhu is back in the New Zealand women’s cricket team.
Tahuhu was named yesterday as an injury replacement in the squad for the Commonwealth Games Twenty20 competition starting later this month.
The 31-year-old wasn’t named in the initial squad after also being passed over for a contract with the national side following
New Zealand’s disappointing showing at this year’s one-day World Cup.
Tahuhu and Claudia Green join the squad for Birmingham, with swing bowler Jess Kerr injured and batter Lauren Down withdrawing in order to prioritise her wellbeing, citing a need to take time away from the game.
‘‘I’d say it’s certainly been the roughest week of our lives,’’ Tahuhu said at the end of May when she and wife Amy Satterthwaite were both not given White Ferns contracts after long-term careers in the White Ferns.
‘‘I’ve come back before from numerous setbacks and this is just another one I’ll be looking to tackle and hopefully get back out there and play again for my country.’’ Kerr injured her foot in the team’s final World Cup match against Pakistan earlier this year and isn’t ready yet to play, instead targeting the White Ferns’ tour of the West Indies in September. Green is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Kerr while Tahuhu will be regarded as a bowling all-rounder for the tournament, which will also feature World Cup winners Australia and beaten finalists England.
‘‘Our first and main priority is ensuring both Lauren and Jess are looked after,’’ said new White Ferns coach Ben Sawyer.
‘‘Lea is a familiar face so will be able to hit the ground running at training camp next week. We’ve previously said it’s important not to confuse contracting with selection and this is a good example of why.’’