Tour decision leaves captain 'gutted'

"Gutted" was how New Zealand women's cricket captain Emily Drumm described her feeling after hearing yesterday the tour of India has been called off.

The captain of the world champion CLEAR White Ferns side at last year's CricInfo Women's World Cup said the news hadn't really sunk in yet.

"It is pretty demoralising after working really hard during the winter to get ready for the tour, just to have it all taken away," she said.

Drumm said she had no problems with the decision made by New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden.

"It's no-one's fault, it's just the way the cookie crumbles," she said.

But what it did mean was that when New Zealand lines up for the first game in a home and away series with Australia in February it will have gone more than a year without an international match.

"What the decision means is that our development slows right down.

"We are now going to be exposed against an awesome Australian side that has lost only a couple of players. I admire the way the Australians can produce players of quality to take the place of retiring or injured players.

"We are going to have a new side and it will be very difficult for us now because the Indian tour was such a great opportunity to develop.

"The thing about going out onto the field during the World Cup was there was so much experience in our side, and that just lifted us from the outset," she said.

The side was last together in Christchurch 12 days ago and had a very good camp which had showed the side just where it needed to be looking to develop during the tour of India.

Drumm also felt sorry for the new players in the side. The new generation of players were very talented and had great futures but they would miss a good chance for exposure to international cricket in India rather than against the tougher Australian side.

"I know that it was a good two years before I found my feet internationally. We played 85-90% of our games against Australia at that stage and it was extremely demanding.

"But I was also looking at India from a personal development view.

"I was looking forward to playing the best spinners in the world on their turning tracks. I have worked hard all through the winter on developing my sweep shot against spinners because from study of my batting last season my sweeping was quite often my undoing.

"The challenge was there for me to develop my game.

"There are lots of reasons why the decision is disappointing.

"I hope we get a chance for a few more warm-up games in Australia," she said.

New Zealand's next chance to develop players in an extended tour situation should be in England next winter.