Match Preview
NZU19s take on IREU19s in Group C action, which will take place at the Senwes Park in Potchefstrooom. New Zealand cantered home to a 10-wicket victory in their tournament opener vs Indonesia, while Ireland suffered a loss in a closely fought encounter against Windies in their opening fixture
Top Picks
Kayley Knight (NZ), Bowler- RAM
- She’ll handle the PP & death overs for NZ
- She was the highest wicket-taker for NZ Development side during the series vs INDU19s: Inns- 4 | Wkts- 10 | Avg- 6 | SR- 8
- She was in good wicket taking form during the Super Smash before heading for this WC
Georgina Dempsey (IRE), All-Rounder- RHB/RAM
- She had a good warm-up outings vs PAKU19s: 24 runs & 4-1-15-0
- Her career best T20I figures of 4-0-35-2 came against Australia last year
- She has a batting average of 71 in her short ODI career, including a personal best score of 45* vs South Africa
Amy Hunter (IRE), Batter- RHB
- A lot relies on Hunter if Ireland are to do well in this tournament
- Being a mainstay in the senior Irish side, she’ll have to find form having scored just the 21 runs in the previous game
- She has scored 500+ runs across 22 international outings
Freya Sargent (IRE), Bowler- OS
- With her impressively disciplined lengths she’s one of the toughest Irish bowlers to score off
- She had the most economical figures in the previous game, finishing with figures of 4-0-9-2
- She was impressive with the ball for Typhoons throughout the Super T20 Cup back home
Differential Picks
Emma McLeod (NZ), Batter- RHB
- She’ll slot in at the No. 3 slot and is one of the most stable batters in the NZ line-up
- She was the leading run-getter during the U19 National Championships: Inns- 7 | Runs- 322 | Avg- 64
- She’s a very handy part-time off spinner as well
Antonia Hamilton (NZ), Batter- RHB
- She finished unbeaten on 26* in the previous game
- She was the 2nd highest scorer in the warm-up game vs RWAU19s and top scored in the warm-up game vs PAKU19s with 36* runs
- She top scored for Wellington U19s during the U19 National Championships: Inns- 7 | Runs- 245 | Avg- 35
Niamh MacNulty (IRE), Bowler- RAM
- She’s expected to slot into the XI, with Craig proving a lot expensive in the previous game
- She was impressive in both the warm-up fixtures, having registered figures of 4-0-23-2 & 2-0-13-1
- She plays for Merrion CC back home, and has picked 17 wickets in as many games at an average of 17.18
Aimee Maguire (IRE), Bowler- LAO
- She’s the only left arm spinner in the Irish squad
- She had a great outing during the warm-up game: 4-0-20-2
- She was the only other wicket-taker for Ireland besides Sargent, in the previous game: 3-0-16-1
Safe Captaincy Pick
Anna Browning (NZ), All-Rounder- RHB/OS
- She put on a brilliant all-round display in the previous game: 4-0-12-2 followed by 38* runs
- She top scored with 67 runs in the only warm-up game she batted in. The next highest score in that game being 25
- Representing the NZ Development side last month, she returned with figures of 4-0-13-3 vs India U19s in the only game she bowled in
- She was in top form during the limited games she played in this season’s Super Smash
Differential Captaincy Pick
Tash Wakelin (NZ), All-Rounder- RHB/OS
- She bagged the POTM award for her figures of 4-0-14-3 in the previous game
- She was the 2nd highest run-getter during the National U19 tournament earlier this season: Inns- 7 | Runs- 308 | Avg- 51 | Wkts- 5
- She’s already made a handful of List A & T20 appearances for the senior Northern Districts in domestic cricket back home
Player to Avoid
Ellie McGee (IRE), Bowler- RAM
- She went wicketless in the previous game, despite having bowled her full quota of overs
- With NZ being the stronger of the 2 sides, it’d be better to go in with more NZ bowlers on her expense
Base Team
WK: Antonia Hamilton
BAT: Amy Hunter, Emma McLeod, Georgia Plimmer
AR: Georgina Dempsey, Aimee Maguire, Tash Wakelin, Anna Browning
BOWL: Freya Sargent, Fran Jonas, Kayley Knight
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