Maddy Green sidelined with hand injury

Batting allrounder Maddy Green has become the third New Zealand women player sidelined due to an injured hand this season. Australia, too, saw an injury in their team as vice-captain Alex Blackwell suffered a minor hamstring strain during Wednesday's loss in the third T20I in Adelaide. Although she was not ruled out of the forthcoming three ODIs against New Zealand, batsman Rachael Haynes was added to the squad as cover. Allrounder Ellyse Perry was also returning from a hamstring injury she had picked up in the Women's BBL.

"We expect both Alex and Ellyse to feature throughout the upcoming series against New Zealand. However we want to ensure both players are 100% fit on their return," national selector Shawn Flegler said.

Green joined allrounder Sophie Devine, with a dislocated thumb, and offspinner Leigh Kasperek, who had suffered multiple fractures on her left little finger only a week ago, on the injury list. Green was "anticipated" to be in contention for the Women's World Cup in June, a New Zealand Cricket release said. She broke her left thumb while taking the catch to dismiss Amanda-Jade Wellington during New Zealand's 47-run win in the third T20I. Offspinning allrounder Anna Peterson joined the New Zealand squad in place of Kasperek for the ODIs at home while a replacement for Green has not been named yet.

Peterson, meanwhile, comes on the back of a hat-trick in the second T20I against Australia and an impressive run with the bat for Auckland in the domestic one-dayers and T20s. Peterson had toured Australia too as a late replacement for Devine.

The three-ODI series will start in Auckland on Sunday, followed by the second and third matches in Mount Maunganui on March 2 and 5.