Cricinfo - Blogs - Girls Aloud

cricinfo.com

About cricinfoblogs

Beyond The Blues

Beyond The Test World

The Confectionery Stall

The Surfer

Tour Diaries

Cricinfo Blogs Home

« A disappointing start to the World Cup | | We have been waiting for years to beat Sri Lanka »

March 8, 2009

Posted by Haidee Tiffen at 9:49 AM in Women's World Cup, 2009

Pulford's a star

We need a top-order batsman to stay put through the innings © Getty Images

Well the best way to start the World Cup is with a win and we did just that. The rain spoilt a good game but we won’t complain.

We arrived in Sydney at the start of the week and had warm-up games on Tuesday and Wednesday – we beat Pakistan and then lost to India. On Thursday we went for the opening ceremony of the World Cup. First to the Sydney Opera House for some photos and then across to Luna Park by ferry. The ceremony was very nice and after that we busied ourselves with captains’ interviews, eating and drinking.

Today there was a good crowd at our game and it was nice to see Wasim Akram, Debbie Hockley, Belinda Clark and Danny Morrison giving TV commentary. The pitch was doing a little early in our innings and the Australian opening bowlers were getting the ball to move off the seam. They dug in the ball and it nipped off the pitch so we had to play knuckle down play cautiously.

We got two half-century partnerships but need to look at how we can convert them into hundred-run stands. The spinners tied us down for a while but I think we played positively against them. Most of the teams will have decent spinners and what one needs to do is not let them settle down into a rhythm. I don’t mean attack them right from the start, but play positively and be clear about what shot you want to play before you play it.

We used the batting Powerplays during the Rose Bowl Series so we are familiar with them but I can’t say we utilised them well today. We should have taken it in the 41st over – the one I got out in. But you know I feel the batting Powerplays do make a difference by giving you a chance to get back into the game.

Though we won, we need to improve on our performance. Our middle order lost the plot today - from 171 for 3 we were bowled out for 205, losing our last seven wickets for 34 runs. To get totals over 250 we need someone from the top order to stay put through the innings. That’s what I was trying to do today when I got out to a silly shot.

I’d like to mention Kate Pulford’s performance here: she made her return to international cricket after six years. She took a year off in between to go overseas but has been playing domestic cricket in between. She did exceptionally well this season and is looking like she’ll be the star for us this World Cup.

Our plan ahead is to just be consistent, use our resources well and bat wisely. Let’s hope we can do it.

Feedback

Comments

Posted by: Catherine Brady at March 8, 2009 2:04 PM

Just wanted to wish the New Zealand women's team all the best for the World Cup. I'm currently living in Kuwait and no womens cricket here but at least internet so I can follow your progress! Great to see Abby, Rachael and Kate in the team. Fantastic result first up, keep that positive momentum going. Good luck for the rest of the tournament and know that my random bonus quiz question tomorrow will be Who won the opening match between NZ and Australia in the 2009 Womens' World Cup? You'll be famous in the Middle East!! Best wishes,
Cath Brady.

Post your comment

Posting Guidelines

Name:

Email Address:

Comments:

characters left

The Contributors

Mithali Raj, India's former captain, has been on the international circuit for a decade. In August 2006, she led India to their first-ever Test and series win in England and capped off the year by winning the Asia Cup - the second time in 12 months - without dropping a game. India, under her captaincy, also reached the World Cup final in 2005. Now, as one of the senior members of the side, and the premier batsman, a lot will be riding on her for the two World Cups - 50-over and Twenty20 - that India will play in 2009.

Urooj Mumtaz managed to juggle a course in dentistry along with captaining Pakistan. Their most recent triumph was qualifying for the World Cup next year and the 22-year old Urooj will lead a young team to Australia in hope of creating a favourable impression of the Pakistan women's team among the other sides as well as back home. A legspinner, she has a hat-trick against Zimbabwe.

Cri-zelda Brits became South Africa’s captain at the age of 23, standing in for Shandre Fritze in the home series against Pakistan in 2007. She followed this by captaining the side to a 3-0 series whitewash against the Netherlands as well as winning the first-ever Test between the two sides by 159 runs. In 2008 she scored her maiden ODI hundred and led South Africa to a spot in the World Cup after beating Pakistan in the Qualifiers final in Stellenbosch. She also coaches the Northwest women's team, based in Potchefstroom, and runs her own academy.

Shelley Nitschke combines playing for Australia and her state with working in cricket, as a school officer. A useful spinner, her batting is also worth talking about – she has developed into a handy allrounder. Her major achievements to date are winning the 2005 World Cup, taking 7 for 24 against England in Kidderminster in 2005 and being nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Year in 2006-07. Although she has played netball, softball and basketball, cricket has always been her stand-out sport.

Ebony Rainford-Brent made history as one of eight England players to be handed a Chance to Shine coaching contract, allowing her flexibility around training. A top-order batsman, she fought back from what doctors thought was a career-killing back injury and could one day bowl again – calling her determined is an understatement. She is on the Surrey Academy and her Super 4s side is Diamonds. Proficient in basketball and athletics, she settled for playing cricket … and the drums.

Haidee Tiffen has played for New Zealand for more than ten years and is now their captain, having begun her career with Otago Under-21s before heading to Canterbury. She has played representational hockey, basketball and rugby – but cricket is her passion and won out over New Zealand junior hockey. She is particularly proud of winning the World Cup in 2000, reaching the 100-ODI milestone and being skipper. Her experience also includes playing for Sussex for two winters and she was also part of the first female academy in Lincoln. Somehow she also finds time to teach Health and PE at Hillmorton High School.

Isobel Joyce,a class bat with a steely mentality, comes from a family full of cricketers - twin sister Cecilia plays alongside her for Ireland and brother Dom for the men’s national team, while another brother, Ed, plays for England and Middlesex. Her first half-century came against a strong New Zealand attack in Dublin in 2004 and her figures of 4 for 20 helped her side beat Scotland by six wickets in the European Championship in 2001, where Ireland won all their three matches. Her 46 against Netherlands in the summer of 2007 helped to maintain her place in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa. She was in outstanding form with both and ball during the tournament, scoring 148 runs at 37 and taking 10 wickets at an average of 7. She ran out five Pakistani players in Ireland's first match, before earning two successive Player-of-the-Match awards against Scotland and then Zimbabwe, against whom she scored 70 and took 4 for 10. She was named captain for their next series, against West Indies, after Heather Whelan pulled out because she was expecting.

Nadine George has been a regular for West Indies since her debut in 1999. She first led the side on their tour of Europe in June-July 2008, when West Indies thrashed Ireland and Netherlands while putting up a respectable performance against England. Nadine combines playing for West Indies and her national team, St.Lucia, with her day job as a Sergeant in the Police Marine Unit of the Royal St.Lucia Police Force. A left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, Nadine says the highlights of her career are receiving an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2005, being the first West Indies woman cricketer to score a century in a Test (in Pakistan in 2004), playing in the World Cup in South Africa (2005), and playing club cricket in Australia in 2006. Nadine also plays netball and volleyball and loves the marine environment and is passionate about diving. She is a qualified open water diver and during her working hours captains a 65 and 82 ft vessel. Her motto in life is "with hard work and dedication one can achieve".

Categories

Recent Posts

The pride of playing for New Zealand A batting lesson from New Zealand World Cup final - here we come Another step towards the World Cup final Time to bring on the A-game We keep exceeding expectations Can we beat New Zealand? We have been waiting for years to beat Sri Lanka Pulford's a star A disappointing start to the World Cup

Archives

April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

RSS Feed