It’s been an amazing experience so far, says Sawyer on NZ camp in Chennai ahead of WC

Chennai: Head coach Ben Sawyer, who is overseeing New Zealand women’s camp in Chennai as part of preparation for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, said the experience so far of practicing in spin-friendly conditions at the Chennai Super Kings Academy has been an amazing one.

Seam-bowling allrounder Jess Kerr, batters Georgia Plimmer and Brooke Halliday, who were in the New Zealand team winning last year’s Women’s T20 World Cup, are a part of the ongoing trip in Chennai. Izzy Sharp, Flora Devonshire and Emma McLeod are also present in the squad as emerging players.

“Yeah, 100% correct. It’s currently winter in New Zealand, there’s no cricket and we’re nearly two months out of the World Cup. So, to have that prep time in India, we’ve been able to bring seven contracted players and then three of our players of interest along. So, the girls that we think will play lots of cricket in India in the future as well. So yeah, it’s been an amazing experience so far,” Sawyer was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo on Sunday.

After the camp in Chennai, the New Zealand squad will return home before likely travelling to Dubai for a one-day series against England in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup starting on September 30. The experience of playing in stifling conditions of Chennai and Dubai would help players in preparing for similar challenges during the eight-team tournament.

“It’s hugely beneficial and even more so this year because just with the FTP cycle, we’ve had no official matches since February. So to get these three one-day games in Chennai, to get two or three games in Dubai against England, a really strong opposition, will be great and then we also get the two World Cup warm-up games. So that’s seven or eight games we’re going to get in similar conditions. Yeah, that’s just huge for us,” added Sawyer.

IANS