No one should be expecting Aotearoa's White Ferns to win the ODI series vs Australia in Wellington but they have an opportunity to shake up women's cricket once again and move into a fresh phase full of confidence. New Zealand is currently sixth in the Women's Championship and if they stay in this spot they will roll into World Cup qualification, which could happen even if the White Ferns lose all three games against Australia.

White Ferns are one point ahead of Bangladesh and they should have three more games to play but they don't seem to be scheduled yet. West Indies are also in the mix for the White Ferns spot as they are six points back and will start a three game series vs India this weekend. Ideally, White Ferns find a win or two to seal World Cup qualification and even in the worst case scenario of missing the top-six, Aotearoa will be among the favourites to win the next phase of qualification.

White Ferns are 9-10 in the Women's Championship. Their 2-7 ODI record this year isn't flash but it includes six games against England and three in India. Sliding back to the start of 2023, White Ferns are 6-11 in ODIs and since the start of 2022 they are 16-17. Add in Australia's domination of White Ferns in recent times starting with 13 consecutive losses and...

Overall: 31-100

In NZ: 17-42

Since start of 2010: 3-31

In NZ since start of 2010: 2-11

At Basin Reserve: 1-8

Suzie Bates is the only current White Ferns batter averaging over 25 in ODIs against Australia (37.2avg) and Amelia Kerr is the only bowler averaging below 30 (29.3avg).

White Ferns have three batters averaging 30 in ODIs this year and there are two batters in the current squad who have strike-rates over 80 (Sophie Devine and Jess Kerr). No White Ferns bowler is below 4.5rpo and there are six bowlers below 30avg, although that includes Lea Tahuhu who is out injured, Hannah Rowe who missed selection, plus Bates and Halliday who are the only wicket-takers who have bowled less than 20 overs this year.

As far as 2024 ODI mahi goes, Fran Jonas and Molly Penfold have struggled. Jonas is averaging 76 with the ball this year and 44 in HBJ Shield, while Penfold has 1w @ 120avg this year in ODIs but has been one of Auckland's best bowlers to start HBJ Shield (17avg). Lauren Down is averaging 8.8 with the bat in her five ODI innings this year and she has four 20+ scores including a century in her six innings of HBJ Shield.

Bella James is the notable inclusion on the back of her best season of HBJ Shield batting so far. Having debuted in 2014/15, James is 25-years-old which means she almost has 10 years of domestic cricket experience and she has slowly built a deserving case for a White Ferns call up.

James averaged less than 15 with no 50+ scores in her first five seasons, mainly as a teenager. She climbed above 15avg and had her first 50+ knock in 2019/20, hitting those markers for three consecutive seasons in a row. In 2022/23, James hit her first HBJ Shield century, taking her past 200 runs and 25avg for the first time in her career. The best thing about James' rise is how she bounced back after a tough summer over 2023/24 (10avg) with 293 runs @ 73avg, 1 x 100 and 1 x 50 this season

While the progress of recent White Ferns Kate Anderson and Mikaela Greig (who are both averaging below 10 this season) offers a splash of caution, James deserves her selection and there should be clarity in her role. Anderson and Greig can bat anywhere in the line up, which is useful but didn't offer a clear path forward, while James is a genuine opening batter.

James also bats alongside Bates at the top for Otago and she is selected for the ODI team during her best season of one-day batting. There is the option to open with Down but James' combo with Bates makes this an ideal situation to ease James in ... against Australia.

With that in mind: Bates, James, A-Kerr, Green, Devine, Halliday, Gaze (wk)

In that group of seven, A-Kerr and Devine are part of the bowling attack. Halliday will bowl at some point but she is unlikely to bowl five overs in a game. Jess Kerr is averaging 24.5 this year which balances out her taking the most wickets in the most overs. Both Kerr sisters have bowled 50+ overs, while Rowe and Jonas are the other bowlers who have had 40+ overs.

This makes Rowe's absence more intriguing as she is third for wickets this year and has been decent in HBJ Shield, averaging 29 with the bat and 21 with the ball. This is amplified by Jonas and Penfold being the only kiwi bowers averaging 50+ this year, now they appear likely to play at least two games each vs Australia.

Carson serves as another funky selection. She has played the fewest games of all White Ferns bowlers who have bowled this year, but she has churned out 38 overs which puts her fifth behind the 40+ over crew. While averaging 43, Carson has been the most economical kiwi bowler in ODIs this year (4.5rpo) and she can either form a spin trio or step in for Jonas.

Rosemary Mair is also in the squad and along with Penfold, they overlap with the spinner selections. Mair joins Penfold in having a strong start to the summer and given their pace/bounce skills, these two form a funky seam bowling pair to be operating in Wellington.

Four spots left in the 1st 11: J-Kerr, Mair, Penfold, Jonas

This leaves Down as batting cover and Carson is likely to get a crack at some point.

The chances of beating Australia, even in Aotearoa, are slim. They are 16-3 in the Women's Championship after a sweep of India recently and the last time these two teams played in Wellington, Australia won by 141 runs at the 2022 World Cup. Winning one of the first two games would be a positive sign for White Ferns and a series win would be just as crazy as their T20 World Cup success.

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