New Zealand Women start World Cup prep with focused Chennai camp
New Zealand Women start World Cup prep with focused Chennai camp
New Zealand Women have begun a two-week preparation camp at the Super Kings Academy in Chennai to tune up for the Women’s ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, starting September 30. Head coach Ben Sawyer and assistant coach Craig McMillan are overseeing a 10-player group, with a clear focus on facing spin and coping with heat and humidity—two factors likely to define the tournament.
Why Chennai, why now
It’s winter in New Zealand, with limited outdoor cricket. Chennai offers time on turning pitches in tough weather.
The camp includes seven contracted players and three emerging names identified for long-term cricket in India.
After Chennai, the group is likely to head to Dubai for one-dayers against England, before official World Cup warm-ups.
Core group in Chennai
Contracted: Jess Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Georgia Plimmer (among others from the senior pool).
Emerging: Izzy Sharp, Flora Devonshire, Emma McLeod.
Senior stars Sophie Devine and Amelia Kerr are in The Hundred; Suzie Bates is coming off a career-best 163 in England’s One-Day Cup.
What they’re working on
Players are logging long sessions against spin and learning to manage the heat. India internationals Asha Sobhana and D Hemalatha, Tamil Nadu teen G Kamalini, and Swiss international Meghna Rajan have joined bowling sessions. Asha bowled Polly Inglis with a classic leg-break and tested others with flight and wrong’uns.
Former NZC pathway coach Sriram Krishnamurthy, now CSK Academy head coach, ran a practical session on playing spin—using feet, reading from the hand, trusting the back foot, and rotating strike on slower tracks.
Heat adaptation has been deliberate. With High Performance Sport New Zealand’s inputs and guidance from experts who consulted for the Tokyo Olympics, the group trained hard first, then shifted to structured recovery as matches began. Some players back home are using heat chambers.
Early signs from nets and practice games
Izzy Sharp scored 80 in a practice game, mixing back-foot play with quick use of feet to get to the pitch. Maddy Green found success with sweeps and reverse-sweeps—different method, same result. Jess Kerr’s overs have been central to workload planning on abrasive surfaces.
Coach’s roadmap
Ben Sawyer’s plan is clear: three one-day games in Chennai, then two or three in Dubai against England, plus two official World Cup warm-ups. That gives New Zealand seven to eight games in similar conditions before the tournament.
The camp skews younger in Chennai. Seniors like Devine, Bates, and Lea Tahuhu are active elsewhere, while spin coach Paul Wiseman and bowling coach Graeme Aldridge are running specialist blocks in New Zealand. The idea is that everyone gets exactly what they need.
Selection takeaways to watch
Batting roles: Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday can lock down top and middle-order roles. Izzy Sharp and Emma McLeod push for bench spots with clear briefs against spin.
Allround options: Jess Kerr’s new-ball control and dry-ball overs make her central to the XI balance.
Spin match-ups: Expect multiple spin options in most games. Batters with clear methods—feet, sweep range, strike rotation—will be preferred.
Planned build-up to the World Cup
Now: Chennai two-week camp, three practice one-dayers.
Next: Dubai leg with ODIs vs England.
Then: Two official ICC warm-up matches.
World Cup: From September 30 in India and Sri Lanka.