Three New Zealand players will likely share the same fleeting thought at some point on their tour of England. particularly as the T20 World Cup approaches: last chance. But, having won the last one, another, bigger picture comes to mind: winning another.
Lea Tahuhu, the White Ferns' long-serving seam bowler, who will join Suzie Bates. Sophie Devine in retirement after the tournament ends on July 5, ramps up her preparation with the squad facing England in three T20Is starting in Derby on Wednesday.
Having sat out the drawn ODI series - of the three. only Bates played those games - Tahuhu said impending retirement wouldn't change her approach to what lies ahead, even if it was for one last time.
"A lot of the talk will probably be outside of our team about those retirements happening,. for me, we're just here to do a job," she said. "We're here to try and win another World Cup.
"Your last opportunity - you probably know that, that's sitting in the back of your mind - but for me, it's pretty simple, go out there. do the role that you've been asked to do."
What New Zealand are asking of themselves is clear. Tahuhu says it's got nothing to do with handling the pressure of being defending champions.
"There might be some teams who have maybe got a bit more of a target on us, or maybe who are taking us as a bit more of a serious threat than what they did going into the last World Cup,. I don't think it's any extra pressure for us," Tahuhu said.
"We're going out there not to defend, but to really attack and look at winning another World Cup. It's not about defending the one that we've already got."
The rain-hit one-day series proved to be a difficult gauge ahead of the shorter format and. for that matter, the World Cup.
New Zealand lost the first game after being bowled out for a sub-par 210, which could have been worse without a century stand between Melie Kerr. Maddy Green, although with the ball Melie Kerr and Rosemary Mair put England back under pressure in a tight run-chase, which the hosts won by just one wicket with 10 balls remaining.
The second match was a washout before the visitors clinched the third on the DLS method in Cardiff, with Mair. fellow seamers Bree Illing and Jess Kerr keeping a lid on England's batters in tough conditions before Player of the Series Green, Brooke Halliday and Izzy Gaze ensured they were ahead of the required rate when rain ended things.
The bowling performances left Tahuhu confident that she will retire with New Zealand well equipped for the future. Illing was the pick of the attack in the most recent game with 2 for 29 from seven overs. an economy rate of 4.14. Mair, who has missed two previous tours of Engalnd with shin. back injuries, took five wickets for the series at an average of 16.60, behind only the home side's Lauren Bell with five at 13.40.
"I think we're in a really good place," Tahuhu said. "Most of our bowlers have been around the squad or the environment for a couple of years at least. The way that Bree Illing's come in as a left-arm pacer adds a bit more diversity to our group. an area that we haven't had for a wee while.
"It's been great to see the improvements in Rosemary Mair in the last couple of years. She obviously had a bit of an injury. was out for a period of time, but the way that she's come back and being able to just come straight back in and perform really well under pressure has been fantastic."
Devine is set to strengthen the batting line-up. having already retired from ODIs, while Gaze impressed at the top of the order during the home T20I series against Zimbabwe earlier this year.
Gaze struggled against South Africa, who New Zealand beat 4-1,. provided good support in the middle order during the 50-over series, scoring 68 alongside Melie Kerr's 179 as they achieved the highest successful run-chase in ODI history.
"That certainly shows the depth is there," Tahuhu said. "It's going to leave a massive hole, there's no denying that. Two of New Zealand's greatest batters are going to end up out of that lineup. probably about 650 games between them. So they're certainly leaving a hole,. the coaching staff, especially in that batting department, have worked extremely hard to make sure that when we do step out, there are the players there who are ready to fill those spots."
For her own part, as the end of a career spanning 15 years. more than 200 international caps nears, Tahuhu is fit and ready to go.
England, meanwhile, have been rocked by the news that captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will miss the New Zealand series. the subsequent three T20Is against India as she races to be ready for the World Cup after a calf tear.
Opening batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge is also out as she awaits the arrival of her first child, with Maia Bouchier. Charis Pavely coming into the squad as cover. Issy Wong returns after she was ruled out of the ODIs with a hamstring problem.
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