NZ allrounder Sarah Tsukigawa retires

New Zealand allrounder Sarah Tsukigawa has announced her retirement from international and first class cricket. Commenting on her retirement, New Zealand women's coach Gary Stead said Tsukigawa will be missed by New Zealand and her domestic side Otago, which she has captained. "The experience she has developed in her 12 years [of domestic cricket] cannot be replaced," he told Otago Cricket website. "The leadership capabilities and respect she has within the Otago Sparks and White Ferns sides is huge."

A hard-hitting middle order batman and medium pacer, Tsukigawa, 29, debuted against India in 2006 and has played 42 ODIs and 19 Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand since. She averaged 22.12 with bat and 32.02 with ball in the 50-over formant. The highlight of her career came when she averaged 71.33 in a five-match series against India in 2007, in which she also picked up five wickets at 23.80 apiece.