The new era for New Zealand women's cricket continues to be ushered in with news that experienced vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite will not be offered a new playing contract and will retire from international cricket immediately.
Just a week after fellow veteran Katey Martin announced her international career was over, Satterthwaite revealed she will also call it quits after she found out that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) wanted to head in a different direction.
Satterthwaite retires having played the most ODIs of any New Zealand female player (145) and having scored the second most runs (4639) in 50-over cricket for her country.
The 35-year-old also holds the joint record with Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara for most consecutive ODI centuries (four), following her scintillating run with the bat over the 2016/17 summer.
While disappointed to lose her contract, Satterthwaite said she could understand why the decision was made.
"It is with a degree of sadness that I announce my retirement from international cricket," Satterthwaite said.
"It has been a tough few days after learning of NZC’s decision to head in a new direction and contract some younger cricketers.
"I am disappointed not to be receiving a contract and believe I still had more to offer, however I respect NZC’s decision and I wish the White Ferns all the best as they embark on an exciting winter of cricket, including the Commonwealth Games.
"I’ll be supporting them all the way.”
Satterthwaite scored one half-century and a total of 175 runs for New Zealand during their disappointing ICC Women's World Cup campaign at home earlier this year, while she also picked up figures of 3/25 in a group match against Bangladesh in Dunedin with her handy off-spin.
Congratualing Satterthwaite on behalf of the Internationa Cricket Council, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, “Amy has been a prominent name in women’s cricket for a very long time. She has been one of the best performers for her country during such a pivotal time for the growth of the women's game, inspiring a new generation of fans and players.
"On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate Amy for a successful career and hope she continues to stay involved in the game. I wish her all the best for the future.”
New Zealand Cricket General Manager of High Performance Bryan Stronach paid credit to Satterthwaite and the way she performed on and off the field all the way up until her retirement.
"Amy will be remembered as one of our best cricketers; her record is outstanding, and she can feel really proud about what she has achieved – not just for herself and the team, but also for all the players she has inspired and enabled," he said.
"Essentially, we’re looking to the future and want to give some younger cricketers a chance to develop their skills surrounded by our high performance systems.
"We also considered the immediate playing programme and next pinnacle events - both heavily weighted towards T20I cricket."
Satterthwaite plans to spend more time with her family during retirement, but will continue playing at domestic level with the Canterbury Magicians in New Zealand and Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred in August.
Personalise your homepage with an ICC account
News, fixtures and updates tailored to your favourite team. Never miss a moment!
Trending News
-
1
1 Jasprit Bumrah named India captain for England Test after Rohit tests positive
India have named Jasprit Bumrah as their captain for the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Edgbaston after Rohit Sharma was ruled out.
-
2 Babar usurps Kohli in latest T20I rankings boost
-
3 No Temba Bavuma in South Africa squads for multi-format assignment against England
-
4 Rahul Dravid addresses India captaincy situation ahead of England Test
-
5 Vandersay included as Sri Lanka name squad for Australia Tests