Experienced squad for women’s domestic season

Media Release
Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Auckland Hearts name an experienced squad for women’s domestic season.

The Auckland Hearts squad for the 2015/16 season will have a seasoned feel to it with a host of domestic and international experience. However there is also room for new faces in the squad with two promising young players given their chance to impress at the next level.

Victoria Lind will once again lead the side and Coach Elfriede Chooi is very pleased with the mixture of players she will be working with this season.

“We are very lucky we have a range of players who have international experience in the squad. That is something that has really developed over the past couple of years. The likes of Sara McGlashan and Katie Perkins have obviously been around the WHITE FERNS set up for a while but it’s been great to have some of our younger players gain that higher level experience.”

“What they bring back to the team is fantastic and benefits everyone. We always want to be doing things in the best possible way.”

Chooi believes that learning and sharing environment will really help the development of the two new squad members Saachi Shahri and Feala Vaelua.

“Saachi Shahri is a really promising top order batsman and at 17-years-old it will be great for her to be able to learn from all the other senior players in the team. Feala Vaelua is a very exciting bowler and she has been a proven performer for Auckland at age group level.”

The full squad is as follows-

Victoria Lind (Captain & Auckland University)
Samantha Curtis (Waitakere)
Lauren Down (Takapuna)
Maddy Green (Cornwall)
Georgia Guy (Cornwall)
Holly Huddleston (Eden Roskill)
Arlene Kelly (Waitakere)
Lucille Matthews (Takapuna)
Sara McGlashan (Auckland University)
Roz McNeil (Takapuna)
Lily Mulivai (Waitakere)
Katie Perkins (Cornwall)
Anna Peterson (Auckland University)
Saachi Shahri (Cornwall)
Feala Vaelua (Waitakere)

In changes from last season’s squad Regina Lili’i has moved to Japan and Natasha van Tilburg is taking a season off. The side is well into training and has already played warm up matches against Wellington and Central Districts. Their coach says there’s a great feeling around the team.

“Everyone is very excited about the season starting and the team really got into the matches against Wellington and Central Districts. It was really good to be out playing games on grass so early in the season.”

The Auckland Hearts will be playing games at both Eden Park Outer Oval and Melville Park this season. Chooi says the prospect of playing on Eden Park is particularly exciting for her players.

“The team are jumping out of their skin to play on Eden Park. Many of them haven’t had the chance to play there yet and it is great they will have that chance this season. To have a full round of matches there against Otago is great opportunity for the team and something we’d like to repeat.”

For the Auckland Hearts full season draw head to aucklandcricket.co.nz

ENDS

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