Lea Tahuhu and Bernadine Bezuidenhout return to NZC's list of contracted players; Kate Anderson earns maiden contract

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has announced the list of centrally contracted women's national team players for the 2023-2024 season which marks the return of star right-arm pacer Lea Tahuhu and wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout.

Tahuhu returned to the NZC contract list after missing out last year. The 32-year-old has been an integral part of the White Ferns for a number of years now. She has represented her nation in 84 ODIs and 75 T20Is. In the ODI format, Tahuhu has picked 94 wickets while in T20Is, she has bagged 72 wickets. Last year, in nine ODIs, Tahuhu picked up 12 wickets at an average of 26.33 in ODIs. In T20Is this year, she has been exceptional, picking up eight wickets in just four games.

After recovering from RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), wicketkeeper-batter Bernadine Bezuidenhout made a comeback to cricket during the T20 World Cup in South Africa, earlier this year. The two-year absence from the game must have been painful but her first NZC contract since 2019-2020 should make her feel a lot better.

Talented 27-year-old batter Kate Anderson earned her maiden contract after her noteworthy performances in the Super Smash, where she scored 536 runs in 12 outings, averaging a record-breaking 59.55. Anderson was also named the Women's Domestic Player of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket Awards following her Super Smash exploits.

On an unfortunate note, wicketkeeper Jess McFayden and allrounder Nensi Patel, failed to get their contracts from the 2022-2023 season renewed. The 28-year-old batter Lauren Down decided against accepting a contract citing family reasons.

NZC Head of Female High Performance Liz Green speaks highly of the contracted players

NZC was the first cricket board in the world to give equal match fees to both men and women players. The landmark decision was taken in 2022. NZ Head of Female High Performance Liz Green, heaped praise on NZC's structure and the women's cricket team.

"We're pleased with the high performance structures we've integrated in the women's space and believe that they will enable future success on the world stage," said Green as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"We think that these players possess the skills and appetite to develop as cricketers and represent New Zealand well on the world stage."

White Ferns 2023-24 contract list:

Kate Anderson, Suzie Bates, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Eden Carson, Sophie Devine, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Fran Jonas, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu