Hawke's Bay's CATE PEDERSEN has made history as the first CD representative to be named for the very first New Zealand Under 19 Women's team.

The right-handed top order gun from Napier is the only CD name in the 18-strong squad - selected after CD U19 finished runners up at this season's NZC National Tournament in Lincoln.

Eighteen players in all have been selected for the inaugural national squad which will get off the mark by playing a New Zealand Police Women’s XI in February - likely to feature WHITE FERNS Erin Bermingham and Katie Perkins - and a yet-to-be-named New Zealand Provincial Women’s XI in late March and early April.

With the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup currently postponed due to COVID-19, NZC still wanted to provide some competitive fixtures for this age group as they represent an important part of the NZC talent pathway said Head of Women’s High Performance, Ant Sharp.

“This is a great opportunity for our young, female cricketers to shine on a bigger stage,” said Sharp.

“The U19s represent the next level of up-and-coming players in the country, with several having already played Domestic cricket."

NZ U19 will be coached by High Performance Sport New Zealand Residency Coach, Kari Carswell. 

“For me, the result of these matches isn’t the most important thing. We want to develop their skills and start to create future WHITE FERNS,” said Carswell.

“It was tough to narrow down the squad to just 18 names with the level of talent we see coming through in the female game,” she added.

New Zealand Under 19 Women

• inaugural squad •

Gemma Adams - Otago

Melissa Banks - Canterbury

Lucy Boucher - Northern Districts

Natasha Codyre - Wellington

Olivia Gain - Otago

Isabella Gaze - Auckland

Abigale Gerken - Canterbury

Georgina Harris - Northern Districts

Amie Hucker - Auckland

Bree Illing - Auckland

Emma Irwin - Auckland

Fran Jonas - Auckland

Kayley Knight - Northern Districts

Molly Loe - Otago

Nensi Patel - Northern Districts

CATE PEDERSEN - Central Districts

Georgia Plimmer - Wellington

Makayla Templeton - Northern Districts

New Zealand Under 19 Schedule

Feb 15, 16, 17 2021

v New Zealand Police

40 over matches

Christchurch

March 29, 30, April 1 2021

v New Zealand Provincial XI

50 over matches

Hamilton

Article added: Thursday 21 January 2021