Sophie Devine relishing extra preparation time for Australia series
Sep 09, 2020
Auckland [New Zealand], September 9 : New Zealand women's skipper Sophie Devine has said that it would be nice that the side would be getting extra preparation time for the upcoming series against Australia.
Australia and New Zealand are slated to play three T20Is and as many ODIs against each other.
Devine said that the 14-day isolation period will allow the players to spend time together ahead of the limited-overs series against Australia.
"It's one of the silver linings of this trip. It's not very often that we get to go on an overseas tour and have two weeks' preparation leading into the first game. It's normally a week," ESPNCricinfo quoted Devine as saying to NZC.
This will be the first time that both these teams will play any competitive cricket since the T20 World Cup in March.
"We're really excited to be spending time as a wider group of 17 players... as we've been stuck indoors for the last couple of months. We now have to be at our best to beat the Australian side in Australia," Devine said.
"Though the lockdown has been different on either side of the Tasman Sea, none of us have played cricket for quite a while. So I think it's a really nice opportunity for us to go out there and hit the Aussies hard," she added.
Australia women will take on New Zealand in the first T20I of the three-match series on September 26 at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
After the series against Australia, Devine would be seen in action in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) as she will lead the Perth Scorchers.
