Maddy Green is urging New Zealand to follow Katey Martin’s example and take the pressure off their star-studded top order in their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 title quest.
When it comes to batting line-ups at this year's tournament, New Zealand are up there with the best, with in-form captain Sophie Devine leading the charge and the highest run-scorer in WT20I history, Suzie Bates, high in the pecking order.
Devine has been in inspired form pre-tournament, scoring 50 or more in four successive T20I innings earlier this year.
But after going for a fourth-ball duck against England in Tuesday’s warm-up, Green is wary about over-relying on her captain.
It was Martin’s 57 from 44 that held the innings together before the WHITE FERNS succumbed to a six-wicket victory but Green says if more follow the former’s lead, the results will easily turn in their favour.
“T20 cricket can be a little bit fickle sometimes with one great performance being able to change a game, but I don’t think you can rely on just one or two people to constantly step up,” she said.
“Take Australia in the tri-series for example, Ashleigh Gardner got a 93 and Beth Mooney was ruthless too. The rest of us are just as important in driving our success.
“The whole team needs to contribute and I guess that’s the challenge for us. We’ve got some big hitters in Sophie [Devine] and Suzie [Bates] but we need our whole squad performing well.
“Both of them are true professionals and leaders of the side and we’re really lucky to have them, but the rest of us need to make sure we’re contributing as much as we can because it’s not always going to be their day.”
Since their last Women’s T20 World Cup Final appearance in 2010, New Zealand have underwhelmed in the competition and hit a low in its last edition when they failed to progress beyond the group stage in the West Indies.
But with 30-year-old Devine at the captaincy helm for the first time in a global tournament, Green believes her side will be boosted by a new-look approach.
“Sophie often talks about being ruthless on the park – that’s the mentality she wants us to play with,” she added.
“Our girls have been putting in some good performances lately but you’re only as good as your last, so we need to make sure we hit the ground running now.
“I’m sure if we play the brand of cricket we want to play, then we’ll do well.”
