Cricket: Bay's White Fern grabs new chance

Anna Peterson is the only member of the White Ferns women's cricket team from the Bay of Plenty. Photo / George Novak

Anna Peterson, the Bay of Plenty's first - and so far only - White Fern is back in the fold.

The 24-year-old made her debut in the women's national team in 2012 in a three-game series against England. After a period on the outer, she is back in the squad for this summer's international programme - coincidentally, once again against England.

After respectable performances in 2012, she said not being named in the squad for the following campaign was disappointing and that affected her game.

"I was distracted because I was trying to make it back into the White Ferns rather than playing my best and wanting to win," she said.

A move to Auckland, where she linked up with several other White Ferns players in the Auckland Hearts, saw a change in attitude and a change in fortunes.

"I realised my focus needed to be on winning rather than making it back into the White Ferns."

The tap on the shoulder came during the Hearts' final regular season game, a game she was rested from. She said she didn't even know she was in the frame.

"It came totally out of the blue - it was a very nice surprise, but it was also quite a shock."

She went on to play a decisive role for the Hearts in their win against Canterbury Magicians in the domestic one-day competition final, hitting a four in the final over that brought her team to the brink of victory.

Peterson and her family moved to the Bay of Plenty from Auckland when she was 9. She progressed through age-group cricket in Tauranga and was selected for the Northern Spirit while still a student at Aquinas College.

At the end of the 2012/13 season, Peterson scooped the pool at the Bay of Plenty Cricket prizegiving, winning the BOPCA Women's Player of the Year, batting and bowling awards, and was the Bay of Plenty women's team captain last season.

Being based at Auckland University, where she is junior coaching co-ordinator, gives her more opportunity to train.

"It's something different and a change is as good as a holiday," she said.

Today's Bay of Plenty Cricket set-up is very different to what it was when she left, with the Bay Oval coming into its own as an international venue and the organisation's new headquarters alongside.

"It's awesome to play here. It's a bit weird, having not played here for a while, but it feels like a bit of a homecoming - everyone has been very welcoming."

The White Ferns - like other national sports teams - have also found the Mount vibe to their liking.

"It's a lot more laid-back than Auckland. It's awesome how we can just wander down to the main street to get dinner and we don't have to hike 20km. It's just chilled, that's how it should be - and it's helping our preparation."

Peterson said her first priority was cementing her place in the squad.

"After this is a tour to India and it would be super-good to be selected. Then it's a chock-a-block schedule in 2016, but the end goal has to be 2017 and the [women's] World Cup."

Meanwhile, she is hoping the good lead-up form of the Black Caps will translate to success in the ICC Cricket World Cup and the White Ferns can play a successful support role by winning the series against England.