White Ferns Super League Tour #1
Vipers up
The NRL season is warming up, some Olympics thing is about to kick off in Rio and our Blackcaps are playing in Zimbabwe so I wouldn't blame ya for having no idea that a hand-picked group of kiwis are about to showcase their talents in the Women's T20 Super League. Simply put, this is England's Women's Big Bash League and given how cool it was to have a WBBL, I'm fairly excited for the Super League to get underway, especially with our best female cricketers selected to take part in the first Super League ever.
As always, we'll be all over the kiwis in the Super League with games starting overnight Saturday and running up until the final on August 21. Ahead of the first game, here's a brief run-down of the kiwi ladies who will definitely dominate.
Lancashire Thunder
Amy Satterthwaite, reppin' Canterbury. Bat and bowl.
T20I Batting: 981 runs @ 19.23, 88.29sr.
T20I Bowling: 20 wickets @ 22.10, 6.99rpo.
World T20
1/24, 13*
7*
1/24, 16*
0/11, 24.
Doc's Word: Not one of the star White Ferns but a solid team player who should give the Thunder some nice balance. Perhaps the 'Undercover Sister' of this group as she won't go into the Super League with too much hype, she could however be a crucial team member with plenty on international experience.
Lougborough Lightning
Sophie Devine, reppin' Wellington. Bat and bowl.
T20I Batting: 1,157 runs @ 24.61, 114.89sr.
T20I Bowling: 57 wickets @ 15.66, 5.79rpo.
World T20
0/13, 7
47, 1/19
1/25, 17
3/16, 27*
4/22, 22.
Doc's Word: Expect big things from Devine as she's one of the best strikers of a ball in women's cricket and bowls some nice medium pace as well. If anyone in this group is suited to T20 cricket, it's Devine and she should be one of our better performers.
Southern Vipers
Suzie Bates, reppin' Dunedin.
T20I Batting: 2,127 runs @ 27.26, 107.15sr.
T20I Bowling: 45 wickets @ 22.80, 6.72rpo.
World T20
1/13, 37
82
23
29
12
Doc's Word: Aotearoa's best female cricket, which should be enough said but I'll add that Bates has hit 106* in a T20 game for Kent Women earlier in July as well. Bates is awesome and expect her to be up there with the top run-scorers in the competition.
Sara McGlashan, reppin' Hawkes Bay. Bat and wickie.
T20I Batting: 1,164 runs @ 18.18, 99.48sr.
World T20
21*
14*
11
5
38
Doc's Word: Joining Bates is McGlashan, who will rock the wicket-keeping gloves and add some handy middle order batting into the mix once Bates has smacked it around. McGlashan also had a notable score earlier in July, hitting 88 for Sussex on the same day Bates hit that century.
Surrey Stars
Lea Tahuhu, reppin' Christchurch. Speed demon.
T20I Batting: 7 runs @ 1.75, 35sr.
T20I Bowling: 21 wickets @ 19.95, 5.62rpo.
World T20
1/20
0/24
0/22
0/21
Doc's Word: Opening bowler for the Ferns, Tahuhu is the only specialist bowler on the White Ferns Super League Tour so hopefully she finds plenty of wickets.
Western Storm
Rachel Priest, reppin' Taranaki. Bat and wickie.
T20I Batting: 712 runs @ 17.36, 108.04sr.
World T20
28
12
34
28
6
Doc's Word: A low key member of the White Ferns, Priest is Bates' opening partner together they have formed an impressive top order for the Ferns.