Four White Ferns have secured county contracts for the New Zealand winter opening up a rare opportunity to expand their cricketing abilities and life skills.
The White Ferns leave for the ICC World Twenty20 competition today, basing themselves in St Kitts, with the aim of being there for the final on the 16th of May.
The four who secured English county contracts will continue onto England after the Twenty20 competition in late May while the rest of the White Ferns will return home.
White Ferns captain Aimee Watkins is in Devon, Lucy Doolan is heading to Nottingham, Sian Ruck is placed in Essex and wicketkeeper Rachel Priest is going to Staffordshire.
Watkins and her cricketing husband Jamie Watkins will be heading to Devon in the south of England to experience a new way of life for five months. “Hopefully it will be a good experience,” she said. “It’s as much about life experience as it is about cricketing experience. I’m looking forward to doing a bit of travelling and doing something different.”
Her Central Hinds team mate Rachel Priest will be playing for Staffordshire, which competes in the same division as Watkins’ team. Priest is relishing at the chance to play against a friendly face. “Aimee and I play in the same team all the time so it will be a fantastic opportunity to play against one another. There should be a bit of banter,” Priest said.
This is the first time the wicketkeeper has gone overseas to play county cricket, however she is looking forward to putting her skills to the test in the northern hemisphere conditions. “I’m a little worried because they have got me fielding. But I think that will change once they see my fielding style,” Priest laughed. “There’s so much cricket to be played and I decided to come over here so I can play cricket all year round.
Priest is also looking forward to travelling in England and France during her five months abroad and has her fingers crossed for a place in the White Ferns team which will tour England in July. “Hopefully I can play well for my county side and score some runs,” she said.
