13th Contracts Announced for Women’s Domestic Associations

The final contract offers for the women’s domestic sides have been announced by the respective associations. 

There is a focus on younger players earning contracts across the sides with three new players receiving first time offers.

Northern Districts 13th offer sees the return of Samoan international Carol Agafili, having made her international debut at the Pacific Cup earlier this year. The right arm all-rounder has been a feature in her side's Super Smash team over the past couple of seasons. 

Agafili has scored 78 runs across her 14 Super Smash innings whilst also taking one wicket with the ball. She has also played in 8 List A games with 94 runs to her name.

Sophie Court is one of the three new contracted players across the country, signing for the Auckland Hearts. Hailing from the Auckland University Cricket Club, the pace bowler has been a part of Auckland Cricket’s Talent and Pathway program and has represented Auckland Under 19 and Auckland A. 

During last season's Under 19 tournament, Court grabbed figures of 4/1 against Northern Districts and finished with eight wickets across the tournament. 

Wellington’s 13th offer has gone to Gemma Sims who returns for her second season with the Blaze. Having missed out at the back of last summer due to injury, Sims will be looking to force her way back into a strong Blaze side. 

Sims managed 12 games last summer for Wellington across the two formats to go along with her 7 previous appearances for Central Districts. She featured in all of Wellington’s List A matches pre-Christmas scoring 45 runs across her four innings.

Grace Foreman has been announced as Central Districts’ 13th contract offer. The 19 year old seamer has come through Taranaki and Central Districts cricket pathway system with appearances for CD Under 15, New Plymouth Girls’ High School, Central Districts Under 19 and Central Districts A.

Featuring at last season’s Under 19 tournament she took four wickets and also took one for Central Districts A against Northern Districts A.

The third newly contracted player is Isy Parry who will be representing Otago this coming season. Pary has featured for the Otago Under 19 since 2021 along with Otago Girls’ High School and Balmacewen Intermediate School. 

Parry scored a memorable century for Otago Under 19 at last season’s Under 19 tournament to finish with 242 runs along with four wickets with the ball.

Emma Irwin earns Canterbury’s final contract having featured on last summer's list, but not featuring in any fixtures. She has previously featured for Auckland between the 2021/22 to the 2022/23 season before transferring to Canterbury last season. Irwin also played for the New Zealand Under 19 side at the Under 19 World Cup.

The right handed batter has five matches to her name with 31 runs across her four innings for Auckland and is also a talented hockey player having also played for the Junior Black Sticks. 

All six contracted players will be looking to make their mark throughout the summer as they push for regular selection in their sides.

Squads:

Auckland: Olivia Anderson, Bella Armstrong, Elizabeth Buchanan, Prue Catton, Sophie Court, Amie Hucker, Bree Illing, Kate Irwin, Rishika Jaswal, Cate Pedersen, Josie Penfold, Saachi Shahri, Anika Todd

Northern Districts: Carol Agafili, Bernadine Bezuidenhout, Marama Downes, Caitlin Gurrey, Kayley Knight, Marina Lamplough, Shriya Naidu, Nensi Patel, Jesse Prasad, Holly Topp, Tash Wakelin, Jess Watkin, Eve Wolland

Canterbury: Kate Anderson, Sarah Asmussen, Mel Banks, Nat Cox, Jodie Dean, Harriet Graham, Abigail Hotton, Laura Hughes, Frankie Graham, Emma Irwin, Izzy Sharp, Jess Simmons, Gabby Sullivan

Wellington: Nicole Baird, Rebecca Burns, Rachel Bryant, Kate Chandler, Natasha Codyre, Hannah Francis, Xara Jetly, Leigh Kasperek, Caitlin King, Jess McFadyen, Gemma Sims, Phoenix Williams

Central Districts: Aniela Apperley, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Flora Devonshire, Grace Foreman, Anna Gaging, Kate Gaging, Claudia Green, Mikaela Grieg, Ashtuti Kumar, Emma McLeod, Thamsyn Newton, Kerry Tomlinson

Otago: Anna Browning, Emma Black, Caitlin Blakely, Harriett Cuttance, Chloe Deerness, Olivia Gain, Bella James, Louisa Kotkamp, Molly Loe, Isy ParryFelicity Robertson, PJ Watkins, Saffron Wilson