Preview: Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wāhine Māori

Wellington's Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori side has been finalised ahead of the Māori Wāhine National Cricket Tournament, held in Heretaunga from 13th October to the 15th.

5 teams will compete for the Rona McKenzie Taonga in honour of the White Ferns’ first ever Māori captain Rona McKenzie (Ngāti Awa).

Photo credit: Will Kindley / NZC

Blaze’s ever reliable Caitlin King is awarded captaincy duties for the Te Whanganui-a-Tara team. Coming up through the Havelock North ranks in 2013, King was recognised by the Central Hinds and earned a place in the U21s team the same year.

It would take until 2017 for King to make her top-level debut for Wellington, featuring as a pace bowling option with lower order stability. To date, she has made 80 appearances for the Blaze across the Super Smash and HBJ Shield.

Her best bowling performance came in Wellington’s dominating 127 run win against Canterbury, clinching 3-1 from a single over to skittle the Magicians 51 all out.

Nicole Baird was incredible in her debut season for Wellington. The left-arm spinner was awarded her first contract ahead of the 2022/23 season, becoming a key cog in the Blaze’s bowling machinery. 11 wickets in both the T20 and List A competitions,

Baird’s ability to claim wickets at a cheap rate made her one of the stars of the summer.

Internationally capped wicketkeeper Jess McFadyen is lined up to play for the Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wāhine side. McFadyen first appeared back in yellow and black in 2008 at just 17 for the Development team.

7 years later, she would go on to debut for the side in a washed out T20 game at Karori Park. Her List A resume has earned the plaudits it deserves, wracking up 1598 runs from 55 innings.

Estella Wallace is an interesting addition to this Wellington representative side, having played for the Canterbury U19s in last year’s National U19 Tournament. She picked up 3 wickets with a lowkey 40 runs from 3 innings.

Wallace was a member of the Māori schoolgirls squad that took on the Governor General’s XI.

14-year-old quick Greta Abbott appears in this squad having last played for Tawa Intermediate, a school New Zealand internationals Sophie Devine, Jess Kerr and Amelia Kerr attended.

Emma Parker was named in the Wellington U15s squad alongside Keisha Pegg.

Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wāhine Māori squad:

Caitlin King (c) (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Nicole Baird (vc) (Ngāti Ruanui), Gemma Guiney (vc) (Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto), Greta Abbott (Ngāti Maniapoto), Sasha MacArthur (Ngāi Tahu), Jess McFadyen (Ngāi Tahu), Millie Newell (Te Ātiawa), Emma Parker (Ngāpuhi), Keisha Pegg (Te Ātiawa), Taylor Pewhairangi (Ngāti Porou), Isabella Quin (Ngāi Tahu), Faye Tahere (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Te Rangi), Estella Wallace (Ngāi Tahu), Jo Wawatai (Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe, Te Whānau-a-Apanui)

Head Coach: Rochelle Roddick

Asst Coach: Damian Parker (Ngāpuhi)