Cricket: Batsman need to step up says Bates

Suzie Bates. Photo / Getty Images

White Ferns captain Suzie Bates is calling on her batting line-up to perform against Australia in the upcoming Rose Bowl series.

New Zealand haven't held the annually-contested trophy since the summer of 1998-1999 when they beat Australia 2-1 in Palmerston North, and the last time they won a series across the ditch was in 1987.

The format has changed regularly during the past decade but this season it will be contested over three one-day internationals in Australia. The teams also meet in five Twenty20s to play for the trans-Tasman trophy.

They square off in the first 20-over contest today. It's the first of three matches in consecutive days at the North Sydney Oval, before the Rose Bowl gets underway on Wednesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I don't think we've played 50-over cricket that well in the last couple of years and Australia always have a strong 50-over side,'' Bates said.

"I really just think the top-five batters need to score runs and score good runs. I think that's the way we are going to put pressure on them. Our bowlers always do a reasonable job and we've just got to get consistent runs from our top-five batters.''

The New Zealand batting order has a slightly different look to it from recent seasons following the departure of long-time top-order batsman Aimee Watkins, who retired last year and Sophie Devine's decision to focus on hockey in the lead-up the London Olympics.

Watkins' retirement prompted Bates' rise to the captaincy and her contributions will be pivotal to the White Ferns' success, along with those from Frances Mackay, Sara McGlashan, Lucy Doolan and vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite.

The White Ferns trained in 28 degree heat in Sydney yesterday afternoon and despite Bates joking that a few players might have picked up heatstroke, coach Gary Stead has a fully-fit squad of 14 to pick from.

Playing three Twenty20s seems the ideal lead-in to the Rose Bowl, although Bates didn't expect the squad to be rotated to allow everyone to get a game under their belt.

"It's hard to say. I don't know if Steady's big on a rotation policy. I think we sort of had discussions about playing our best team every game to win us that match. But, like I said, there's 14 players that are all pretty close so it may work out that way. It's hard to say, obviously that would be ideal, give everyone a game in the first three but we'll have to wait and see.''

Aucklanders Maddy Green and Katie Perkins are the new faces in the New Zealand squad, and Rachel Candy (Canterbury) and Morna Nielsen (Northern Districts) have returned to the fold.

Australia welcome back Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry and Julie Hunter to their side and they will be skippered by Jodie Fields.

Following the Rose Bowl, the White Ferns play the final two Twenty20 contests at ANZ Stadium in Sydney and the Melbourne Cricket Ground on February 1 and 3 respectively. Those matches will be curtain-raisers for 20-over outings between the Australian and Indian men's teams.

TEAMS:
New Zealand (from): Suzie Bates (captain), Amy Satterthwaite (vice-captain), Kate Broadmore, Rachel Candy, Lucy Doolan, Maddy Green, Frances Mackay, Katey Martin, Sara McGlashan, Morna Nielsen, Katie Perkins, Liz Perry, Lea Tahuhu, Sian Ruck

Australia (from): Jodie Fields (captain), Alex Blackwell (vice-captain), Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Julie Hunter, Jessica Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton, Clea Smith, Lisa Sthalekar

SCHEDULE:
Jan 20: Twenty20 Match, North Sydney Oval, Sydney
Jan 21: Twenty20 Match, North Sydney Oval, Sydney
Jan 22: Twenty20 Match, North Sydney Oval, Sydney
Jan 27: One-Day Match, Sydney Cricket Ground (Rose Bowl)
Jan 27: One-Day Match, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney (Rose Bowl)
Jan 29: One-Day Match, Blacktown International Sportspark, Sydney (Rose Bowl)
Feb 1: Twenty20 Match, ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Feb 3: Twenty20 Match, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)