Katey Martin back for NZ Women in World T20 squad

Wicketkeeper-batsman Katey Martin has been picked in New Zealand Women's World T20 squad, almost two years after last representing the team. Seamer Felicity Leydon-Davis also gains a recall for the tournament, after recovering from a back injury.

The only player to miss out from the squad that played New Zealand Women's previous T20 assignment - against Sri Lanka Women in November - is batsman Liz Perry, who had returned to the squad for that series after a two-year break. New Zealand had swept that series 3-0.

New Zealand also named their squad for the upcoming home ODIs against Australia. Allrounder Thamsyn Newton, who had debuted for New Zealand in the Sri Lanka T20s, gets a maiden ODI call-up for the Australia series. Thamsyn had impressed in the third T20 of that Sri Lanka series, taking figures of 3 for 9.

Martin also returns to the 50-overs squad, having last played an ODI in December 2012. She is currently the only batsmen to score more than one hundred in the ongoing domestic one-day women's tournament, with two centuries in her 300 runs that have come at an average of 50.00.

New Zealand Women's coach Haidee Tiffen said of Martin: "Katey Martin has had an outstanding domestic season for the Otago Sparks, especially in the one-day format. She's averaging over 50 in domestic cricket and had a successful New Zealand A tour before that which has earned her a recall to the side. Katey provides us with an option at wicketkeeper for both the series against Australia and the World T20."

Perry misses out from the ODI squad too, one of two omissions from New Zealand's previous assignment - the Sri Lanka ODIs, which they won 5-0. The other omission is allrounder Anna Petersen.

The three-match ODI series against Australia begins on February 20 in Mount Maunganui, and is followed by three T20s. The Women's World T20 begins in India on March 15, with New Zealand Women playing their first game of the tournament against Sri Lanka Women in Delhi.