In a significant stride towards shaping the next generation of New Zealand women’s cricket, the White Ferns have announced their central contracts for the 2025-26 season, with Auckland Hearts’ left-arm seamer Bree Illing and Otago Sparks’ batter Bella James earning their maiden call-ups. The duo’s inclusion highlights New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) commitment to rewarding domestic excellence and fostering emerging talent, especially in a year punctuated by both ODI and T20 World Cups.
21-year-old Bree Illing’s meteoric rise has been hard to overlook. Since her domestic debut in 2022, the left-arm swing bowler has become an integral part of the Auckland Hearts, finishing as their leading wicket-taker this season. Illing’s figures are eye-catching: 29 wickets across both formats, with 21 wickets in the Hallyburton Johnstone (HBJ) Shield at an average of 21. With standout performances including two four-wicket hauls, 4-39 and 4-49, her ability to swing the ball and create breakthroughs under pressure has made her a force to be reckoned with.
The 2024-25 summer proved a breakthrough for Illing, as she made her ODI and T20I debuts against Sri Lanka. She claimed six wickets in her debut international series, twice dismissing the formidable and inspirational Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu. Head coach Ben Sawyer lauded Illing’s efforts: “Bree had an outstanding series against Sri Lanka. To show up the way she did against a world-class batter like Chamari shows she’s ready for international cricket.”
Joining Illing on the central contract roster is Bella James, whose journey epitomises perseverance and grit. James made her Otago Sparks debut at just 16 in 2014, and after nearly a decade of consistent performances, she finally donned the White Ferns jersey in December 2024. Her debut was memorable, smashing Australia’s veteran pacer, Megan Schutt, the 3rd Ranked bowler in the ICC ODI format, during the Rosebowl Series.
James was vital for the Sparks’ back-to-back HBJ Shield titles. She finished as their third-highest run-scorer with 332 runs at a strike rate of 81.17 and an average of 47.42 from 9 innings. Her campaign included one unbeaten century and a half-century, underscoring her temperament and finishing ability in crunch situations. Ben Sawyer praised her transition to the international stage, stating, “Bella’s been a consistent performer at the domestic level and had a great debut series against Australia last year. She’s got the competencies that we believe will succeed at the international level.”
Illing and James fill the vacancies left by stalwarts Hayley Jensen, who recently retired, and Sophie Devine, who has announced her retirement from the ODI format after the conclusion of the upcoming edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 and is working a casual playing agreement (T20Is only) after an illustrious career at the heart of New Zealand cricket.
The Head Coach and selector, Sarah Tsukigawa, described the selection process as extraordinarily competitive. The Head of NZC Women’s High Performance, “Both thoroughly deserve their place, and we’re excited to see what they’re going to bring to the group in what promises to be a huge year for the White Ferns,” Liz Green noted.
New Zealand Women Central Contract List 2025-2026:
Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Lauren Down, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Melie Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer, Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu
(Quotes sourced from New Zealand Cricket Press Release)
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.