INTERVIEW
Follow UsOn paper, it might just be a 19-hour and 50-minute flight from Wellington to Dubai, but it is almost a different world.
That’s the challenge in front of New Zealand as they brace themselves for a return to Asian conditions with an eye on the coveted Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. They have traditionally been the competition’s bridesmaid, having finished runners-up twice in 2009 and 2010.
And when they were on the verge of a third final appearance in 2016, they had their hearts broken by a five-run loss to eventual champions West Indies. Unlike the previous Asian challenge, the Middle East will spring up a new one.
Especially in conditions where the White Ferns have rarely played (four T20Is). But even that small sample size was enough for the decade-long experienced Maddy Green to predict that spin will ‘dominate’ in the tournament.
“I think spin is going to play a huge factor in the tournament [Women’s T20 World Cup]. Obviously, when you play in the Middle East, typically, the wickets are more spin-friendly than in New Zealand. So, look, I would say most of the teams named have a good spin unit,” Green told Cricket.com in an exclusive conversation.
Over the last few years, she has worked quite extensively in that area, understanding the nuances of playing spin and evolving her game to the point that 360-degree shotmaking ability is no longer a dream.
“As I have got older, I have understood my game more and feel more confident in it, I have just tried to keep evolving and bring more shots to my game,” Green said.
“It has helped me improve my game against spin, in particular. I think that’s probably because I have matured a bit more in terms of my game plan and have added more shots to my arsenal, not relying just on the shot down the ground.”
Up in front of New Zealand isn’t just a small mountain to climb; they have been pitted alongside Australia, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the group of death, where every mistake can punish you.
“I think we [New Zealand] got a very tough pool, there’s no hiding behind that. We got some of the best teams in Australia and India, two of the best teams in the world. You put in Sri Lanka and Pakistan as well, and we have seen both of them play outstanding cricket over the last few years,” she opened up on the tough group.
So, what are New Zealand doing to tackle a group where spin is really going to play an important role?
“We know that spin is going to play a huge factor, and we have had several camps back here in New Zealand over the winter to work on that and replicate the conditions that we are going to face,” Green stated.
That isn’t the only unknown.
The White Ferns will also have to be more than ready to tackle the physical demands of playing in soaring temperatures. Unlike conditions back home, where the weather in October is likely to only get to 25 degrees Celsius, the temperatures in the Middle East are unforgiving.
In October, the expected temperature is set to blaze away at 39 degrees Celsius, at which point all the aforementioned skillset would go out the window if not well acclimatised.
“It [temperature in UAE] will certainly be hot, and fitness and nutrition hydration is going to play a big part. You know we are very lucky that New Zealand cricket has been putting more support for our team from that point of view. That’s going to be a challenge,” Green spoke about the conditions.
“The wickets are going to be more spin-friendly and perhaps stay a bit lower than some of the wickets here in New Zealand. That’s about your ability as a batter to score as many runs and try to find boundaries. It is about making sure you are going into the tournament with your fitness in a really good place. And obviously, because of the condensed nature of the tournament, also being able to recover very well, especially because it's hot,” she added.
Twelve years on from her debut, Maddy Green has had to shake off competition to keep herself relevant in the modern day. Even if she’s 96-T20I old, the fact that she’s had to find different avenues to keep herself relevant is what makes her stand out amidst the other veterans who have withered away.
“For me, it is all about keep evolving and trying to be useful in whatever role for the team even if it means to bat up or down the order. Especially in this World Cup, I might have to cover that backup wicketkeeper role. I think, Izzy Gaze has been in our squad for the past 18-20 months. She’s been doing really well, she will be the primary wicketkeeper,” Green said.
“Happy to keep being involved with this setup, I love to be part of this White Ferns setup in whatever role they want from me. Hopefully, I got a few more tours left in me,” said Green as she gleamed about the prospect of just representing her country.
While competition might bring about competition and animosity within a group of players, it is contrasting for Green, who uses competition as a metric to emphasise the growth of women’s cricket.
“It is a really cool thing [competition] in women’s cricket, there are some really talented and young players coming through. It is really exciting for our game, and I think that is also a massive challenge for New Zealand cricket, particularly in women’s games, as we continue to professionalise around the world how you keep developing by keeping an eye on the international level,” she said.
Amidst all the competition, however, Green has found ways to reinvigorate life into her own career at the age of 30. Since 2022, the right-handed batter has been quite stellar in the shortest format, amassing 246 and 185 runs in 2022 and 2023, respectively, averaging in the 30s while striking in the mid-110s, something unprecedented.
“I think I have had a good last 2-3 years in international cricket. You know, in the last six months, we have had two tough tours against England, I certainly haven’t performed as well as I want to. That’s been the first real blip in the last 2-3 years. For me, I have been blessed to have good coaches to work with, have really enjoyed playing Super Smash for Wellington, and training with Amelia [Kerr] and Sophie [Devine] sort of every day helped my cricket,” she said on her change in form.
So, all these years long, what has really changed in women’s cricket?
“We have probably seen the scores keep getting higher and higher. Strike rate has always been a very important thing in T20 cricket, but I think probably none more so than now. I also think with the increase in professionalism in women’s games, we have seen the quality of cricket - both batting and bowling - go from strength to strength,” Green said of the changing demand.
“Over that time, you have to keep evolving as a player and try to keep up with the changing landscape of the game. It is really a very exciting place at the moment. It has been pretty cool to see it change.”
In that aspect, New Zealand are bang for the buck. They are blessed with not one but two players who have perhaps the ‘benchmark’ of the modern-day demands of the sport, the ability to be a three-dimensional cricketer. Not just that, in Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine, New Zealand have two all-rounders in their top three, which is almost a luxury.
“Yeah, crucial [for the team], I think Amelia is only 23, but it feels like she’s been here around forever. Sophie [Devine] is a vastly experienced cricketer, having played all around the globe in a lot of franchise competitions. You know she hits the ball probably harder than anyone else in women’s cricket,” she spoke about Kerr and Devine.
“They are two key players for us, the fact that they both bat and ball adds a massive balance to our side. They are crucial and world-class players for us, so I’m lucky to have them on our side and looking forward to seeing what they do at the World Cup.”
If New Zealand are to make it through the group of death, they need more than just a good day at the office. Who better than Green, whose sharp numbers at the T20 World Cups - an average of 19.11 and an SR of 124.63 - to help the White Ferns over the line in a thriller?
“Every game at a World Cup is very important; you pretty much want to win every game. That’s not necessarily the case in a bilateral, you can afford to lose. Often, in a World Cup, that can determine if you are making it through or not. For me, every time I go out there and play, I want to perform. There’s an extra edge when you go there and play a World Cup game,” Green said.
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