New Zealand quick Lea Tahuhu has closed the book on a 15-year One-Day International career, yet she is in no mood to pack away the bowling spikes for good. The 35-year-old has told New Zealand Cricket she will keep playing Twenty20s, both for the White Ferns and on the franchise circuit.
A debutant back in June 2011, Tahuhu finishes as New Zealand’s most prolific ODI wicket-taker: 125 scalps in 103 matches, averaging 28.01 with an economy a touch above 4½ an over. She was clocked as one of the fastest bowlers in the women’s game through the 2010s, and her haul of 36 wickets across four 50-over World Cups – 2013, 2017, 2022 and 2025 – remains a national record.
“It’s always been a privilege and honour to pull on the White Ferns shirt in ODI cricket,” Tahuhu said in the NZC release. “To get one game was an amazing feeling. To have been able to wear the shirt and represent my country and my family over 100 times in ODI cricket is something I never could have dreamt of. I’ll treasure every moment and walk away from the ODI game incredibly proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in the format.”
The Christchurch-born pacer last featured in an ODI during last year’s World Cup in India, her 103rd cap putting her in a select dozen New Zealanders to pass the century mark. Those who watched the semi-final defeat by England might still recall her trademark heavy length and unchanged competitiveness, even as the body clock nudged mid-thirties.
Yet the lure of the shorter, 20-over version remains. “There’s plenty of exciting things ahead and I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to this team in the T20 format. Winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 was a huge achievement and I’m really motivated to be over in England later this year to help this team defend our title,” she added.
New Zealand name their squad for this month’s five-match T20 series against South Africa on 10 March, and NZC confirmed Tahuhu will be on that list. The series starts 15 March – valuable match time before the T20 World Cup defence in England.
Head coach Ben Sawyer believes the senior quick’s impact goes beyond the cold numbers. “Lea has operated at the top of the women’s ODI game for 15 years, which is a huge achievement for a pace bowler,” Sawyer noted. “Lea’s pace has always been a strength, but her competitiveness and drive to push this team forward has stood out and that has rubbed off on the younger bowlers who are now coming through and learning their craft in the ODI game. Lea has been the senior member of the ODI bowling group for some time and leaves the group in a great place moving into the next four-year cycle, which is a testament to her leadership.”
There will be talk, inevitably, about how New Zealand fill the new-ball gap. Hannah Rowe has impressed of late, while quick-learning teenagers Kate Chandler and Jess Kerr (no relation) could see extra opportunity. But for now, most observers simply nod at a job well done.
Retirement in one format does not always mean slowing down. In Tahuhu’s case, it might just free up a bit more energy for the sprint that is T20 – and perhaps another World Cup medal for the collection.
