3 minute read

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has played 240 times for the White Ferns, but has never once worn Test whites.

Long-serving New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has called on the ICC to reconsider its opposition to scheduling women's Test cricket.

Devine, 32, is leading the White Ferns in a post-World Cup training camp in Mount Maunganui this week, as the Kiwis revamp their squad ahead of the Commonwealth Games next month.

The all-rounder has played 240 times for New Zealand, but not in the longest form given the Kiwis' last Test was in 2004, two years before her debut.

Devine pointed to the success of the multi-format Ashes series as an argument against recent comments by ICC chief Greg Barclay that women's Tests won't be "part of the landscape moving forward".

"I'd love the opportunity to play Test match cricket ... to pull on the black cap," she told AAP.

"The last 12 months we've seen Australia and England and India playing some outstanding Test match cricket.

"The Ashes series was outstanding last year. That Test match had every person on the edge of their seat. That's what Test cricket can bring."

Devine said while she understood the ICC's rationale, other Kiwi cricketers also wanted to play Tests.

"Players are certainly really vocal about that," she said.

"I see real value in it, but we also respect that it does take a lot of time, money, resources to fund it.

"The way the multi-format series have taken off, that's a really promising way of potentially trying to get Test match cricket in.

"But that's for the bigwigs to decide that sort of stuff. Me, I just do my job on the park."

That job - leading the White Ferns to success - may have gotten harder in recent weeks after a messy fallout from their poor World Cup.

Despite hosting, the White Ferns finished sixth of eight sides in the tournament, which has led to a mass personnel change.

Australian Ben Sawyer has been appointed coach to replace Bob Carter, beating out "extremely disappointed" assistant Jacob Oram.

Wicketkeeping stalwart Katey Martin retired and Amy Satterthwaite followed after missing a NZC contract.

Satterthwaite's retirement pained star all-rounder Amelia Kerr, who wrote she was "lost for words and so sad ... this is not the way your NZ career should have ended".

Lea Tahuhu and Frankie Mackay were also overlooked for contracts, as was the White Ferns' leading wicket-taker since 2017, Leigh Kasperek.

Devine denied a planned cull or bad blood, saying it was tough to lose two "absolute stalwarts of the game and really good mates".

"It happens in every team, you see players move on, you see players retire, it's nothing new," she said.

"There has been a lot of media around it (but) that's not for me to comment.

"I've got a group of players, contracted players, here who I'm really excited about and we've got an incredible opportunity with the Commonwealth Games coming up."