White Ferns cleanout the right move despite outcry Deans warns about false god of money

After more than a decade of underperforming by the White Ferns, New Zealand Cricket has rightly said enough.

The organisation has brought the axe down on a string of established internationals, including standout Amy Satterthwaite.

The veteran left-hand batter was one of a host of senior players not given a White Ferns contract by NZC this week, along with pace bowler Lea Tahuhu, allrounder Frankie Mackay and spinner Leigh Kasperek.

In their place are young players which the organisation has decided are the future of New Zealand women’s cricket – spinners Eden Carson, Fran Jonas and Nensi Patel, quick bowler Molly Penfold, batter Georgia Plimmer and wicketkeeper Izzy Gaze.

Yesterday’s announcement of the 17 contracted players for the 2022-23 year was pre-empted the previous day by Satterthwaite’s retirement from the international game after 256 appearances for her country – brought about by her omission from the contracted list.

That bombshell was followed by more shell shock as Tahuhu (144 international games), Mackay (60) and Kasperek (85) also became victims of a clear push for youth.

In their place – and that of Thamsyn Newton – come six players who have yet to either make their

White Ferns debut or make any international contribution of note.

While the sextet could be considered to have shown some promising returns at domestic level, none of them have yet displayed the ability that makes them a better bet for the national side over the next year than Satterthwaite or Tahuhu.

But NZ Cricket’s hand had essentially been forced by a numbing run of disappointing world-stage showings from the White Ferns. Going all-in without holding anything near ‘the nuts’ is a risky move at a poker table, but after you’ve been bossed around for endless orbits, eventually you have to make a stand.

So if NZC has erred, it has done so on the side of bravery.

When the home side failed to make the semifinals of the World Cup this year, it marked a depressing run of failures by a team which has included some of the country’s best women cricketers in its history in Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, Satterthwaite, Melie Kerr and Tahuhu.

It was the third consecutive occasion New Zealand failed to make the last four of a one-day World Cup, coupled with missing out on the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup at their last two appearances.

The sixth-placing at this year’s event on home soil spelled the end of the coaching reign of Bob Carter.

However, the new round of contracts has come before NZ Cricket has appointed his successor.

It’s undeniable that the latest* contracting process is flawed. NZ Cricket said it considered likely playing values over the next 12 months (with a T20 focus with the shortest-format World Cup held next year), calculating in past performances, playing history, the upcoming playing schedule, and likelihood of players being involved during that period.

That still makes it hard to fathom why Hayley Jensen was contracted while others weren’t.

By stating in the media release on the contracts ‘‘the NZ Cricket Players Association expressed satisfaction the contracting process, as outlined in the Master Agreement, was adhered to’’, it appears NZ Cricket is keen to point out the decisions would stand up to scrutiny and any protests which could yet follow.

The youth path is problematic as there aren’t systems in place within women’s cricket in New Zealand – for a number of reasons, not least financial – to develop our brightest talents properly before asking them to jump into the national side.

Ultimately, it feels like a massive missed opportunity to further build the game with a sterling showing at the home World Cup was the last straw for NZ Cricket.

Inevitably, there’s going to be a period of further pain as players of promise find out how unforgiving the top level is, and they’re going to have to make their failures in the spotlight as well.

But that’s nothing that we haven’t witnessed for many years already from the White Ferns.

Robbie Deans laughs down the line from Japan when asked if his love of winning, or hatred of losing, has decreased with age.

‘‘No,’’ he said. ‘‘On both fronts. ‘‘Because over time, you come to understand how much is involved in just putting yourself in that position. And for that reason, you don’t like to come second when you do put yourself in that position.’’

Deans, now 62, is in ‘‘that position’’ yet again. His side, Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights, will play Suntory in the final of Japan Rugby League One tomorrow.

If Saitama win, it will be Deans’ fifth title in Japan, recreating his success with the Crusaders in the 2000s.

But, it’s not the topic of the professional game, or the subject of crossborder club competitions, that brings a passionate and fretful response from Deans: it’s what’s happening beneath that level.

‘‘The health of the game ultimately won’t just be those competitions of interests,’’ Deans said.

‘‘The health of the game will be making sure that the grassroots – this most misunderstood term – is producing players, and can continue to produce players that are able to follow that pathway.

‘‘The motivation can’t just be the top end, in the professional game, it’s got to be the health of the game, top to bottom.’’

He goes further. ‘‘There is a bit of an obsession at the moment with money,’’ he said. ‘‘Money creates problems, more than solves.

‘‘Look at the English football Premiership. None of those clubs make a profit. They just spend more. So the underlying question is, ‘What is your reason for being, your place in the game?’ Master that, and then the game will be in good health.’’

It’s a question rugby administrators must answer as the provincial unions prepare to vote on the proposed NZ Rugby-Silver Lake deal at a special general meeting in Auckland next Thursday.

Professional players will benefit if Silver Lake delivers on its revenue targets, but somewhat paradoxically the deal has been sold by NZ Rugby as essential for the long-neglected grassroots, the clubs.

When asked if that pitch struck him as genuine, Deans had a firm message for those in power.

‘‘It has to be,’’ he said. ‘‘Ultimately, decisions will be made, and they’ll have consequences.

‘‘I have no doubt there’ll be lots of conversations, and it’s the role of

‘‘There is a bit of an obsession at the moment with money. Money creates problems, more than solves.’’

Robbie Deans

those who are in governance to cater for the future of the game. That’s leadership. Leadership is catering for beyond your term in power in the position you’re in.’’

Deans has plenty of experience here, albeit in a slightly different context. Despite the language barrier – and the best efforts from well-funded rivals such as Suntory (Eddie Jones) and Toyota Verblitz (Steve Hansen) – Saitama have established themselves as Japan’s premier club under Deans’ reign.

The reasons for that success are far too complex, and dependent on the efforts of others, to be easily summed up, Deans said, but he did offer this: ‘‘You never really stop in a leadership position.

‘‘You’ve got to be looking beyond [where] you are at the moment, all the time, so you’re not blindsided in any part of the business. And you just keep turning up for work. I guess that’s a simple answer.’’