Returning from a winning season with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Women’s Premier League, Sophie Devine spoke to the media ahead of New Zealand’s second IT20 against England.
“It’s certainly been a bit of a whirlwind. It's a little bit different from Delhi and coming here to beautiful Saxton Oval at Nelson, really happy to be back home.” she started. “It's obviously been a pretty busy last couple of weeks topped off with winning the trophy, which is always nice but special to be back here with the White Ferns and taking on a really strong England side.”
“I think we've known these next 12 months are hugely important for us. Obviously, Bangladesh World Cup later on this year, but the ability to play against England both home and away is gonna be really important to help build the team up,” Devine said.
“I guess we need to figure out what our best XI is and the best opportunity to win games of cricket at the World Cup so certainly taking a bigger picture focus with this series and also the one in England.”
Winning the WPL
As part of the winning team in the WPL, Devine has been fully immersed in the passion and connection fans have to the WPL out in India. “It’s pretty special,” she said.
“I think the crowds and just that whole tournament is next level. I think we had 30,000 there at the final so to be playing in front of that I think was great exposure. Hopefully that sort of shows where the women's game is going and the following that we had over there.”
“I certainly think our experience having recently just played over in India and playing a lot of cricket. I think just for us it's just about adding that extra level of confidence and support to the group. I think they've been doing some great things, obviously a bit of a loss to start, but I think there's some really positive signs there, so hopefully me and Melie [Amelia Kerr] can add a bit with both bat and ball.”
New Zealand’s loss
England beat New Zealand by 27 runs in the opening IT20 in Dunedin, looking the more in-form and confident side. With the return of Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr, the White Ferns should be a strong opposition.
“I thought we actually played good pieces of cricket in chunks,” Devine said. “I think it's putting it together though.”
“We know this England side that you're gonna have to play good cricket for a majority of the games so for us it's just little things with the bat. I think we've got probably a little bit stuck through those middle phases for being able to rotate the strike and find the boundary, is something that we've identified as a group.”
“With the ball again, I thought we did really well. We created opportunities throughout the bowling innings it's just for us taking those opportunities and trying to put their lower order under pressure”
“I think the more cricket you can play together as a group, I think it's really important. We've come off the back of our Super Smash so to be able to spend time together as a White Ferns group, I think it's hugely important and I think the ability to play a number of games pretty close together is also gonna be great and to get around the country playing in places like here in Nelson is fantastic.”
Depth of NZ cricket
Speaking to the ESPNcricinfo podcast last week, Devine said: "Being brutally honest, no, there's not much depth coming through and that's where we've got to be realistic as a country, we don't have millions of people that are playing cricket.” She further elaborated on these comments, discussing the positive and negative areas of New Zealand cricket.
“I think New Zealand cricket have been doing some fantastic things. I think if you listen to the whole interview I actually spoke a lot about some of the fantastic work that's gone on in the background,” she said.
“Like I mentioned the New Zealand North-South Series, I think the Super Smash is going from strength to strength. I think we've got to be realistic though that. New Zealand as a small country, when you compare it to the likes of India, who have a billion people and we've got 5 million so I don't think I'm speaking out of turn there that we're never gonna be able to compete in terms of straight out numbers.”
“I think New Zealand cricket have to have a lot of recognition for some of the fantastic work that they're doing and that we are certainly on a on a upward trend. I think it's gonna take time though, and that's something that we need to be realistic about as these things don't happen overnight but it's a really positive time to be involved in women's cricket here in New Zealand,” Devine added.
“I think we're starting to see the opportunities to play games of cricket and to play more cricket is something that's really important. I love to see overseas players brought in, we saw a number of them play throughout the Super Smash, which I think is great, but again, time is probably going to be the key thing for this. You can't sort of snap your fingers and think everything's going to be able to be really perfect.”
“It certainly plays its part in building players to being able to perform. I think we know that opportunities have been pretty scarce leading into this, but obviously as I mentioned the work that New Zealand cricket have done over the last sort of 12-24 months to start to implement some of these programmes, I think that's a really important part.”
“People think it's all about the money and the cash in the back pocket, but it's not all to do with that. It's about the resources, the opportunities, access to support, I think is a massive thing and having high level coaching is something that I think is really going to drive the standard forward. Plenty of things have been going right for New Zealand cricket but it’s going to take time,” she emphasised.
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