New faces for the Blaze, Firebirds get Blundell back | Squad News for Super Smash Round 8 vs Canterbury

Overseas additions Laura Harris and Charli Knott headline the Spotlight Reporting Blaze as the squad goes through a period of change.

Left-arm seamer Maneka Singh also makes a return to the squad after missing the previous two fixtures.

Tom Blundell returns to the Firebirds squad after being with the BLACKCAPS in Pakistan and nursing a groin injury sustained during a test match.

BLAZE

All eyes will be on the Blaze’s new additions on Monday, with Laura Harris and Charli Knott both having recently arrived from Australia, bringing Big Bash experience to a Blaze squad at the perfect time.

The recently selected WHITE FERNS squad for the T20 World Cup sees the departure of five Blaze regulars, including captain Amelia Kerr.

Leigh Kasperek is stepping up to take the reins in her absence, leading the squad the remainder of the season.

The winning streak is currently at 18, with Kasperek and the Blaze looking to continue their record run against the second-place Magicians side who have only dropped a game to the Blaze this season.

With Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, and Maddy Green leaving the squad from last time out, the inclusions of Laura Harris, Charli Knott, and Maneka Singh can ease the mind of Blaze fans, knowing that the outfit is in capable hands from here on out.

Laura Harris had a strike rate of over 200 in the Big Bash League, bringing bruising offence to a team that already has its fair share of hitting talent.

Charli Knott contributes with both bat and ball, expected to slot in the middle order of the Blaze in a role not dissimilar to that which Jess Kerr held with the team.

Leigh Kasperek and her new-look Blaze take on the Canterbury Magicians at the Cello Basin Reserve on Wellington Anniversary Day, kicking off the doubleheader at 11am.

FIREBIRDS

Wicketkeeper Tom Blundell rejoins a Firebirds squad at an ideal time, bringing another top-quality bat to the lineup.

Coming back home and adding some BLACKCAPS-experienced players could be just what the doctor ordered to start a run of three games against teams they sit shoulder-to-shoulder with on the Dream11 Super Smash ladder.

The Firebirds are in the middle of a lean stretch in terms of run-scoring, posting two low totals on the trot, not giving themselves enough wiggle room to go to work with the ball.

Captain Peter Younghusband and his team know it’s just a matter of time until the breakout comes, with the Firebirds housing too much batting talent to be kept down time after time.

The Firebirds are looking to keep themselves in the running for the top spot, only one win back of the first-place team with three games to go. The men’s competition is proving to be tightly packed. With only a few rounds to go, every win will prove a crucial one.

Catch the Firebirds in action against the Canterbury Kings in Round 8 of the Dream11 Super Smash at 2:40pm on Monday, January 23rd. The game comes to you streaming LIVE only on Spark Sport.

Wellington Blaze squad | Dream11 Super Smash | v Canterbury Magicians

• Leigh Kasperek (Captain)
• Nicole Baird
• Rebecca Burns
• Dee Doughty
• Laura Harris
• Caitlin King
• Charli Knott
• Jess McFadyen
• Tamsyn Newton
• Olivia Boivin
• Maneka Singh
• Xara Jetly

Wellington Firebirds squad | Dream11 Super Smash | v Canterbury Kings

• Peter Younghusband (c)
• Tom Blundell (wk)
• Devan Vishvaka
• Nick Kelly
• Rachin Ravindra
• Luke Georgeson
• Troy Johnson
• Ollie Newton
• Nathan Smith
• Logan van Beek
• Michael Snedden
• Jakob Bhula