Thursday 29 November 2012

NZ Men's victory fillip for Women

Ahead of the White Ferns upcoming trip to Australia the Black Caps victory in Sri Lanka could be the sort of boost that New Zealand cricket needs.

 The NZ squad for the four match series has been announced with Rachel Candy and Rachel Priest recalled to the side that played in the T20 World Cup. Kate Broadmore and Sarah McGlashan miss out.

There were few stand-out performances in the recent Emerging NZs clash with their Aussie counterparts, but Morna Neilsen had a good series with the ball and will be hoping she can maintain that momentum against the more senior opposition. It will be a tough ask as the Aussies look to be in top form, especially with the bat, and New Zealand will play the T20 World Champions having had a poor World Cup themselves.

They will be looking to their experienced players to step up and lead from the front.

 The White Ferns squad is:
Suzie Bates(c) - Otago Sparks
Amy Satterthwaite (vc) - Canterbury Magicians
Erin Bermingham - Canterbury Magicians
Nicola Browne - Northern Spirit
Rachel Candy - Canterbury Magicians
Sophie Devine - Wellington Blaze
Lucy Doolan - Wellington Blaze
Frances Mackay - Canterbury Magicians
Katey Martin - Otago Sparks
Sara McGlashan - Central Hinds
Morna Nielsen - Northern Spirit
Katie Perkins - Auckland Cricket
Rachel Priest - Central Hinds
Sian Ruck - Wellington Blaze

MD 29/XI/12

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Aussie squads for NZ Series & World Cup announced

A 13-player squad has been announced for the Rose Bowl Series starting on 12th December against the New Zealand White Ferns in Sydney. The only change to the squad is the inclusion of Sharon Millanta for the injured Julie Hunter.

 The squad is:
Jodie Fields (c) QLD
Alex Blackwell (vc) NSW
Jess Cameron VIC
Sarah Coyte NSW
Rachael Haynes NSW
Alyssa Healy NSW
Jess Jonassen QLD
Meg Lanning VIC
Sharon Millanta NSW
Erin Osborne NSW
Ellyse Perry NSW
Leah Poulton NSW
Lisa Sthalekar NSW
The squad looks very strong with batters Alex Blackwell, Jess Cameron and Meg Lanning in fine form.

The 30-player preliminary squad for the ICC Women’s World Cup starting 31 January 2013 is:
Jemma Barsby QLD
Kristen Beams VIC
Alex Blackwell NSW
Nicole Bolton WA
Erin Burns TAS
Jess Cameron VIC
Nicola Carey NSW
Renee Chappell WA
Sarah Coyte NSW
Lauren Ebsary SA
Sarah Elliott VIC
Holly Ferling QLD
Jodie Fields QLD
Grace Harris QLD
Rachael Haynes NSW
Alyssa Healy NSW
Julie Hunter VIC
Emma Inglis VIC
Jess Jonassen QLD
Meg Lanning VIC
Sharon Millanta NSW
Beth Mooney QLD
Erin Osborne NSW
Ellyse Perry NSW
Leah Poulton NSW
Angela Reakes NSW
Megan Schutt SA
Lisa Sthalekar NSW
Gemma Triscari WA
Elyse Villani VIC

The squad will be reduced to 15 players shortly with players such as Jemma Barsby, Beth Mooney, Sarah Coyte, Nicole Bolton and Elyse Villani all in contention after the recent U21 series against the Emerging White Ferns, plus Julie Hunter (if fit).

MD
28/XI/12

Tuesday 27 November 2012

International fixtures to look out for (update 27/11/12)

The forthcoming international series that we know about at the moment are :

  • New Zealand are touring Australia in December. The fixtures are :-
12 December 20121st ODIAustralia Women v New Zealand WomenSCG
14 December 20122nd ODIAustralia Women v New Zealand WomenNorth Sydney Oval
17 December 20123rd ODIAustralia Women v New Zealand WomenNorth Sydney Oval
19 December 20124th ODIAustralia Women v New Zealand WomenNorth Sydney Oval

  • South Africa are due to tour West Indies in January 2013 and will play five ODIs and two T20 matches - dates and venues are yet to be announced.
  • The ICC Women's World Cup is scheduled for 31 January to 17 February 2013.
  • Australia are due to tour England in August 2013. Fixtures just released are:-
13-16 August 2013
Test
England Women v Australia Women
Wormsley, Bucks




20-Aug-13
1st ODI
England Women v Australia Women
Lords
23-Aug-13
2nd ODI
England Women v Australia Women
The Probiz Ground, Hove
25-Aug-13
3rd ODI
England Women v Australia Women
The Probiz Ground, Hove




27-Aug-13
1st T20I
England Women v Australia Women
The Ford County Ground, Chelmsford
29-Aug-13
2nd T20I
England Women v Australia Women
Ageas Bowl, Southampton
31-Aug-13
3rd T20I
England Women v Australia Women
Emirates Durham, ICG


MD
27/XI/12

Monday 26 November 2012

Women's Test Cricket

It has been a fabulous week of Test Cricket for the men - Bangladesh debutant Abul Hassan hit a century batting at number 10 against the West Indies; New Zealand are setting Sri Lanka a decent first innings score; England have demolished the Indians with some fine spin bowling; and South Africa defied the odds to cling on for a draw against the Aussies.

There really is something very different about Test Cricket. It is a long game and every session is important. Team's fortunes can fluctuate wildly over the 4/5 days of a Test Match, and one poor session can cost you the match.

For the purist it is the best form of the game, but the problem is that it does not generate the crowds it used to, not even in the sub-continent. Fewer and fewer people are prepared to take a whole day off work to watch just part of a game of cricket, especially if they can dip in and out of the game on television, or watch the highlights at a time that suits them. Test Cricket is therefore becoming a televisual experience.

So what has happened to Test Matches for the women? The first Women's Test Match was played in 1934 between England and Australia in a 3 match series, and series continued to be played post war between the major nations right up to the late 1990s. But in the new millennium only 23 Tests have been played in total, and in the last 5 years only 3 Tests have been played - all of those between England and Australia. India last played a Test Match in 2006 and New Zealand in 2004.

The argument against Women's Test Matches is presumably that they are costly to stage, generate little or no revenue and that the players simply could not afford to take the time off to play them. But perhaps now, as the era of truly professional women cricketers becomes a reality, the time is right for the women to be allowed to pit themselves against each other in the longer form of the game.

I have yet to see the international fixtures for the 2013 season beyond the ODI World Cup in February, but I assume the Australians will be touring England this summer. If so, I for one, would love to see a three match Test series between the teams, as well as three ODIs and three 20 over games. What do you think?
[Just learnt that there will be 1 Test this summer v the Aussies at Wormsley starting on 13th August]

MD
26/XI/12



Thursday 22 November 2012

Young Women head to UAE

Some of the best young female cricketers will be heading to the UAE in February for the first ever u19 Womens ARCH (Arabian Challenge) Trophy. Eight teams (Devon, Durham, Essex, Lancashire, Scotland, Sussex, Wales and an MCC XI) will compete for the inaugural trophy, and the teams will include all of the current EWDP (England Womens Development Programme) u19 players so the standard is bound to be high. There will be 2 groups and the format will be 40 over games, with the top team in each group playing in the final.
There will be a dedicated website online at http://www.archtrophy.com/html/womens_u19_-_home.html) and the scores will be available via the cricHQ platform (http://www.crichq.com/competitions/328-u19-women-s-arch-trophy-2013). Follwo the links for more information.

We will try and post daily updates with reports and scorecards, subject to the info we receive from the teams taking part - If you'd like to email me match reports please do so at martin@lawdox.co.uk

The 2 groups are:-
Group A - MCC, Durham, Devon, Essex
Group B - Sussex, Scotland, Wales, Lancs

The scheduled games are

Mon 18th Feb
Durham v Essex (D/N)
Sussex v Lancs
Scotland v Wales

Tues 19th Feb
Wales v Sussex (D/N)
Devon v Essex
MCC v Durham

Wed 20th Feb
Scotland v Lancs (D/N)
MCC v Devon

Thurs 21st Feb
Durham v Devon (D/N)
Wales v Lancs
Sussex v Scotland
MCC v Essex

Sat 23rd Feb
Finals

The Day/Night games will be played at the FairGrounds Oval in Dubai
Other games will be at 7he Sevens Stadium, Dubai (http://www.thesevens.ae/) and at the Zayed Stadium (http://www.adcricketclub.ae/stadium_overview.php)

MD
22/XI/12





Wednesday 21 November 2012

u21 Shooting Stars wrap up series

The Aussie u21s comprehensively beat the White Ferns Emerging players for the third time with a 7 wicket win and nearly 23 overs to spare.

Once again the NZ top order struggled to get runs losing 3 wickets with just 18 on the board. Apart from Anna Petersen (55) none of the rest of the top 7 hit double figures. Only double figure knocks from batters 8, 9 and 10, saw the team through to an uncompetitive 150, before they were bowled out. The wickets were shared around with Carey, Ferling, Chappell and Harris all picking up 2 wickets

The Aussie batters in contrast have all been in fine form and this time it was captain Nicole Bolton who lead from the front with a fine 68. She and Elyse Villani (38) put on 57 for the first wicket, before Villani fell. Despite the quick loss of Carey, Bolton took her team to within 6 runs of victory before she fell to a run out, but by then it was too late.

Nicole Bolton won the Player of the Match award and the Player of the Series was shared between Queensland teammates Beth Mooney (165 runs in 4 innings without being out) and Jemma Barsby (7 for 79 in 3 matches), who performed consistently throughout the series.

MD
21/XI/12

scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/587292.html

Match report (AUS) - http://www.cricket.com.au/news/2012/11/21/shooting-stars-complete-series-triumph

Match report (NZ) - n/a

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Aus u21s crush NZE

The Australian u21s cruised to a 184 run victory over their New Zealand counterparts and wrapped up a series win in the third ODI of the 4 game series.

Having won the toss the Aussies set the White Ferns a daunting target scoring 279 for 7 in their 50 overs based around 2 substantial partnerships between Elyse Villani (67) and Beth Mooney (107*) and then Mooney and Sarah Coyte (56). Opening bowlers Lea Tahuhu and Morna Nielsen both picked up a couple of wickets.

In reply the White Ferns never really got going, losing early wickets to openers Megan Schutt (3-38) and Holly Ferling (2-23), and then crumbling to the left arm fast medium pace of Western Australia's Gemma Triscari to be all out for just 95.

New Zealand have one last chance to salvage something from this series on Wednesday 21st November when they play the final game in the series.

MD
20/XI/12

Scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/587291.html

Match report (AUS) - http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2012/11/19/shooting-stars

Match report (NZ) - not available

Saturday 17 November 2012

Rain ruins Emerging Aus v NZ clash

Rain intervened in the second ODI between the two emerging player teams.

New Zealand had batted first and posted a creditable 161 for 6 within the allotted 37 overs - the start having been delayed by rain. The target was based around a fine 50 from Natalie Dodd, with good support from
Maddy Green, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson and Lauren Down.

In reply the Aussies were struggling at 36 for 3, before Beth Mooney and Sarah Coyte steadied the ship, but at 84 for 3, with just over 18 overs to play, the rain returned and the players didn't.

The third game in the series is on Monday 19th November.

The Aussies lead 1-0

MD
17/XI/12

scorecard http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/587290.html

match report (NZ) http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/match-report/womens/9/rain-ruins-emerging-players-chances/1494/report.aspx

match report (AUS) http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2012/11/16/shooting-stars

Thursday 15 November 2012

Sarah Taylor & Ellyse Perry in interview

A couple of recent articles from All Out Cricket (prior to the T20 World Cup) on two of the stars of women's cricket.

Worth a read.

MD
15/XI/12

http://www.alloutcricket.com/blogs/interviews-blogs/sarah-taylor-interview-im-a-completely-different-person-now

http://www.alloutcricket.com/blogs/interviews-blogs/australias-dual-international-ellyse-perry

The future for women's sport

I am writing a piece about the future of women's cricket for a Wisden competition - I will post it here when it fails to win!

But in the meantime here is a piece in the Independent featuring the England rugby, cricket and football captains.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/can-women-build-on-london-2012-glory-8317164.html

Any views?

MD
15/XI/12

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Aus U21 v NZ Emerging

The first of 4 ODI games between the two "academy" teams has gone the way of the Aussies in rather emphatic style.

The New Zealanders batted first, but could muster only 90, holding out until the 34th over. 17 year old Jemma Barsby's right arm medium pace was the main destroyer, as she picked up the tail-enders to end with figures of 5-12 from 7.5 overs. Only Meg Kendal (20) and captain Maddy Green (35) made it into double figures for the White Ferns EPs.
In reply the Aussies lost 4 wickets - 3 to left arm opener Morna Nielson - but cruised to victory in the 19th over with solid knocks from Nicole Bolton (24) and Beth Mooney (24*).

The teams meet again on Friday (16/11/12)

MD
14/XI/12

scorecard - http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/587289.html

match report (NZ) - http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/match-report/womens/9/shooting-stars-strike-first/1496/report.aspx

match report (AUS) - http://www.cricket.com.au/news-list/2012/11/14/shooting-stars

Tuesday 13 November 2012

The First of Many?

Well you would hope so.

I have resisted the temptation to blog for too long.

Women's Cricket is what I am focused on at the moment and it is on the verge of becoming a recognised sport for women - from which they can actually earn a living.

England lead the way, and with a daughter who is making her own way in the game, it seems the right time to put some thoughts on screen.

MD
13/XI/2012