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In a refreshing shake-up to the New Zealand Women’s cricket setup, rising stars Bree Illing and Bella James have been awarded their first-ever central contracts for the 2025-26 season. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed the news on Wednesday, June 18, ushering in a new phase of transition following the departure of experienced campaigners Hayley Jensen (retirement) and Sophie Devine (moved to a casual playing agreement).
New Zealand Women’s cricket enters a period of regeneration with two senior spots up for grabs. Devine, the long-standing captain, has opted for a casual playing arrangement to manage her workload, while Jensen has called time on her international career. Their absence paves the way for promising talent to step up, and selectors have signaled their intent by recognizing Illing and James.
Bree Illing: From domestic breakthrough to international promise
The left-arm pacer Illing has enjoyed a meteoric rise since her domestic debut in 2022. At just 21, she has already emerged as the leading wicket-taker for her domestic side, scalping 29 wickets across formats this season. Her consistent form earned her a call-up to the national squad earlier this year, where she made an immediate impact by claiming six wickets in as many games against Sri Lanka across both ODIs and T20Is.
“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,” said head coach Ben Sawyer as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Bella James: Patience pays off for seasoned domestic performer
Unlike Illing’s swift rise, James has taken the longer route to the international stage. Making her domestic debut at the tender age of 16, James had to wait several years before finally donning the White Ferns jersey. She featured in two ODIs against Australia in December and again took the field in March this year.
Sawyer acknowledged her journey, saying, “Bella’s been a consistent performer at the domestic level and had a great debut series against Australia last year.”
Centrally contracted New Zealand Women players for 2025-26: 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
Also READ: ICC Women’s ODI rankings: Smriti Mandhana dethrones Laura Wolvaardt to regain top spot
