7:53 AM
Happy new year 2012
GEOFF LONGLEY
The White Ferns will need a new captain next season with incumbent captain Aimee Watkins saying the upcoming tour of Australia and Britain will signal the end of her decade-long international cricket career.
Watkins yesterday said injury and a desire to do something outside of cricket had brought about the decision.
"I've been playing internationals for 10 years, so I've had a pretty good run and there are other things I want to do, including getting a fulltime job," Watkins said.
"So I'm looking forward to finishing up and then coming back and getting on with the next stage."
Watkins has been plagued with a recurring knee problem for the past two years.
"It's definitely slowed me down a bit and I do most of my training on the bike now while trying to prolong my career. I had minor surgery on it a while ago which didn't help a lot."
The vice-captain on the forthcoming tour is Amy Satterthwaite, while Suzie Bates has also done the deputy duties previously.
"We have been working on a succession plan but there is nothing for the team after this tour until February so we have plenty of time to sort things out," coach Gary Stead said.
Watkins, nee Mason, made her debut for New Zealand on the Adelaide Oval in 2002 and has gone on to chalk up 98 international matches for her country.
The 28-year-old New Plymouth secondary school teacher is poised to reach 100 international matches when leading New Zealand in a three-match Rose Bowl one-day international series against Australia in Brisbane starting on Sunday.
"This is definitely going to be my last tour," she said of the Rose Bowl campaign and a nine-match quadrangular series in England which follows against Australia, England and India the world's top four women's cricket countries.
It will be her second attempt to reach the three-figure mark. Her first was thwarted by the Christchurch earthquake, which struck just before the White Ferns were to play Australia in the series at Lincoln which was then abandoned.
"One can't take anything for granted after what happened in Christchurch, can you," she said. "Hopefully, it all goes well this time. I've had a few interruptions, what with terrorist attacks and earthquakes."
Watkins was first selected in the White Ferns for a tour of India in 2001, but that trip was cancelled because of the September 11 terrorist attack.
She said one of the highlights of her career was her first international match, which followed a couple of unofficial matches for New Zealand in Queensland.
"I made my proper debut at the Adelaide Oval and I was pretty chuffed to start off there."
The majority of the White Ferns gathered for a pre-tour training camp in Christchurch late last month, with a further three, who are playing cricket in the northern hemisphere, linking up with the White Ferns in London.
Watkins said the camp was a valuable buildup for the tour.
"It was good to get together again and put the finishing touches on, and everyone is looking forward to getting away."
- The Press
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