Sophie Devine has announced she will step down as captain of the White Ferns T20 side after the Women’s T20 World Cup in October. Video / Corey Fleming
Hawke’s Bay’s Flora Devonshire is the undoubted bolter in the White Ferns’ Cricket World Cup squad.
Just six months after debuting for the T20 side against Sri Lanka in Christchurch, Devonshire has edged out Auckland’s Fran Jonas for the upcoming ODI event in India and Sri Lanka, which kicks offagainst defending 50-over World Cup champions Australia in Indore, on October 1.
Although Devonshire’s fellow Central Hind Rosemary Mair also makes the squad, there’s no place this time for their experienced teammate, Hannah Rowe.
Devonshire, a spinning allrounder from Havelock North, is yet to play for the White Ferns in the 50-over format, but head coach Ben Sawyer is confident that she can bring all her qualities to the 15-strong squad that will take on the world.
“Flora’s got an attacking mind and skillset with the bat, which is valuable down the order,” Sawyer says.
“She’s shown she can consistently bring the stumps into play, which will be effective in the conditions we’re going to face.”
After her senior international debut, and in the absence of White Ferns fixtures over the winter, Devonshire was part of the New Zealand A squad that travelled to England for six matches in late June and early July.
She was then part of a 10-strong group of players that travelled to Chennai, India, for a two-week camp in subcontinent conditions ahead of the upcoming global event.
Flora Devonshire made her T20 White Ferns' debut six months ago. Photo / Photosport
“It was great in Chennai because we got to face some local players and there’s so much young talent there as well,” Devonshire says.
Devonshire isn’t currently part of the centrally contracted White Ferns squad so combines cricket with her day job in the Bay.
“I was at work at PWC [PriceWaterhouseCoopers] in Napier and Ben called me when I was on my lunchbreak.
“He let me know I’d made the squad and I was pleasantly surprised.
“My head was spinning a bit and I had to go back into the office and talk to my bosses about what was going on. They were super excited for me, which was cool. I’m so lucky to have them be so flexible.
“I went home and my family were in the kitchen, so I let them know and they were very happy. We had to FaceTime my oldest brother Charlie as he’s living in the UK. He was getting up for work when we called and he was pretty stoked.”
The squad leaves New Zealand this coming Saturday.
Flora Devonshire's training has come to fruition. Photo / Photosport
“We’ve got a few days in Dubai leading up to the World Cup and we’re playing England there in a couple of warm-up games. It’ll be good to get going there and then in the tournament we play Australia first up so that’ll be a good challenge for us. Everyone’s looking forward to touching down in India and getting into it.
“In terms of expectations, we’re just taking each game as it comes and everyone’s ready to put their best self forward. It should be a great tournament.”
