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August 12, 2024
Sri Lanka chased down a target of 146 with ease, winning by seven wickets with 20 balls to spare in the first T20I against Ireland in Dublin.
Ireland had set a target of 146, scoring 145 for 6 thanks to solid performances from Gaby Lewis (39 off 33), Orla Prendergast (29 off 27), captain Laura Delany (25 off 21), and Rebecca Stokell (21 not out off 16). They built a strong foundation with a 59-run partnership between Prendergast and Lewis.
However, Sri Lanka, riding high on confidence from their Asia Cup victory, had no trouble reaching the target. Harshitha Samarawickrama played a standout innings, scoring 86 not out off 45 balls, hitting 15 fours and a six. She and Vishmi Gunaratne (30 off 34) formed a solid opening partnership of 83 runs. Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 86 is the fourth-highest T20I score by a Sri Lankan and the highest by anyone other than Chamari Athapaththu, who is currently playing in The Hundred.
On the bowling side, Udeshika Prabhodani’s left-arm seam and Sugandika Kumari’s left-arm spin effectively restrained Ireland’s scoring. Offspinner Inoshi Priyadharshani was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 35. Despite efforts from Freya Sargent, Arlene Kelly, and Laura Delany, Ireland couldn’t contain Samarawickrama’s explosive performance.
All the major movements ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season
New Zealand’s provinces have announced their first round of contracted players. Here is a look at all the updates ahead of the upcoming 2024-15 season.
Central Hinds’ captain Natalie Dodd will not participate in the annual domestic contracting process for the upcoming season as she is expecting her first child later this year. Dodd, a top-order batter and wicketkeeper, has been a key player for the Hinds since joining from Northern Districts in 2018. She was named Hinds Player of the Year in 2021 and 2023 and led the team to victory in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in the 2018-19 season, finishing as the top run-scorer.
The Hinds are coming off a strong 2023-24 season, reaching the Super Smash final and securing a mid-table finish in the one-day competition, which was affected by weather disruptions.
“As a team and as an association, first and foremost we’re obviously thrilled for Natalie and her husband at this special time in their lives,” Central Districts high-performance manager Dave Meiring said. “We completely support Natalie’s decision to focus on family this summer, and it now presents an opportunity for others to put everything they have learned from her into practice on the field.
“She isn’t retiring but, for now, it will be a case of several players stepping up to perform her usual roles.”
Seam bowler Anna Gaging, 23, has been awarded a Central Hinds contract for the first time and will join her identical twin sister, Kate Gaging, on the team. Anna, who debuted in the 2020-21 season, has earned five caps across both formats and achieved her first four-wicket haul in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield against Northern Districts earlier this year.
Anna is the only new addition to the 12-player squad contracted for the 2024-25 season. The team will include one more player, who will be named later this month to complete the 13-player roster. While the captain for the season hasn’t been announced yet, New Zealand international Hannah Rowe has previously led the team.
The players from last year’s contracts who have retained their spots are pace bowler Aniela Apperley, batter Emma McLeod, and spin-bowling allrounder Flora Devonshire.
Contracted players for the 2024-25 season are:
NZC contracts include:
Allrounder Kate Anderson has rejoined Canterbury’s domestic squad after missing out on an NZC central contract for the 2024-25 season. Spin-bowling allrounder Harriet Graham has earned her first domestic contract after being part of the wider squad in recent seasons, despite playing only three matches in last season’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
Head coach Rhys Morgan emphasized the commitment to nurturing young talent: “We’re focused on developing our emerging players and providing them with the support they need to succeed. The experience of our senior players will be crucial in helping the younger ones grow and contribute to the team’s success.”
Contracted players for Canterbury are:
Legspinner Rishika Jaswal and batter Cate Pedersen have joined the Auckland squad for the upcoming season after making their debuts last year. Anika Todd, who has risen through Auckland’s development system, has also been awarded her first domestic contract. Pedersen previously played for Central Hinds before moving to Auckland.
Notably missing from the list are allrounder Skye Bowden and Anna Browning. Bowden, who was Auckland Hearts’ top wicket-taker in last year’s Super Smash, has moved to Northern Districts but won’t be contracted there. Browning has joined Otago for the 2024-25 season.
The contracted players for Auckland are: Olivia Anderson, Bella Armstrong, Elizabeth Buchanan, Prue Catton, Amie Hucker, Bree Illing, Kate Irwin, Rishika Jaswal, Cate Pedersen, Josie Penfold, Saachi Shahri, and Anika Todd.
Allrounder Marina Lamplough has secured her first domestic contract. Previously representing Otago and Hong Kong, Lamplough joined Northern Districts at the start of the 2022-23 season and played all ten Super Smash matches last summer, taking six wickets at an average of 10.6.
Pace-bowling allrounder Jesse Prasad is another new addition. After moving from Auckland to Northern Districts last season, she played in ten matches across formats.
Wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout returns to the list after retiring from international cricket in May.
The contracted players for Northern Districts are: Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Caitlin Gurrey, Eve Wolland, Holly Topp, Jess Watkin, Jesse Prasad, Kayley Knight, Marama Downes, Marina Lamplough, Nensi Patel, Shriya Naidu, and Tash Wakelin.
Wellington Under-19 captain Rachael Bryant has secured her first contract. Bryant, an offspinner, led her team to the national Under-19 tournament title in the 2022-23 season and made her debut for Wellington Blaze in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield later that year.
The contracted players are: Antonia Hamilton, Caitlin King, Hannah Francis, Jess McFadyen, Kate Chandler, Leigh Kasperek, Tash Codyre, Nicole Baird, Phoenix Williams, Rachael Bryant, Rebecca Burns, and Xara Jetly.
Fast bowler Louisa Kotkamp and allrounder Harriet Cuttance have both received their first domestic contracts. Kotkamp, who played for New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa last year, made her domestic debut for Otago in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield in February. Cuttance, a product of the Otago pathway system, first appeared in the domestic scene during the 2022 Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final.
Anna Browning, who has moved from Auckland to Otago, is another new addition. The former New Zealand Under-19 opener played 24 matches for Auckland over the past two seasons and was a key player for New Zealand in the 2023 Under-19 World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals.
The contracted players are: Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Anna Browning, Harriet Cuttance, Chloe Deerness, Olivia Gain, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Felicity Robertson, Molly Loe, PJ Watkins, and Saffron Wilson.
Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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