The hugely successful Pick the Kit competition has the stars of Australia and New Zealand's women's teams delving into the archive for their own favourites
Women's stars pick favourite retro kits
Cricket Australia’s Pick the Kit competition hasn’t just proved a massive hit with fans, it’s also inspired some of the world’s top female players to delve into the archives in search of their own favourite retro kits from days past.
The competition, which will see the Australian Men’s Cricket Team wear the 1999 World Cup uniform when they meet New Zealand in an ODI series next summer, has already prompted the Black Caps to launch a vote of their own.
It’s also led to calls from a number of players for Australia and New Zealand’s women to be given a chance to don retro kits of their own this summer.
The trans-Tasman rivals wrapped up a one-day series of their own last week and won’t meet in a bilateral series this coming summer, but that hasn’t stopped Australia vice-captain Rachael Haynes and White Ferns allrounder Sophie Devine from sharing a host of their past favourites on social media.
Hope there’s going to be a @SouthernStars vs @WHITE_FERNS #pickthekit edition!! You’d look good in a skirt and knee high socks @ElyseVillani @RachaelHaynes%E2%80%94 Sophie Devine (@sophdevine77) March 8, 2019
It seems unlikely the world No.1 Australians would be keen on a return to wearing culottes – the skirt-shorts hybrid uniform trend was ditched in the mid-1990s – any time soon, but there is no shortage of classic Southern Stars kits to select from.
One image shared by Haynes shows Australia legend Belinda Clark in full flight at Adelaide Oval in 1996, wearing a gold floppy, gold shirt and colourful culottes.
This could be us... team issue floppy @ElyseVillani pic.twitter.com/HSE0Zd4NnL%E2%80%94 Rachael Haynes (@RachaelHaynes) March 8, 2019
The 1997 World Cup in India, a tournament won by Clark and her Australian team that defeated England in the final at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, is as rich an event for classic kits as the men’s 1999 event.
Australia’s green, gold and white combination also saw the players make the switch to long pants.
Image Id: 93999A9012384FC9BF5770BA17557203 Image Caption: Australia in their 1997 World Cup kit // GettyThe (very) teal White Ferns kit worn at the same tournament was a favourite of Devine’s, England’s 1997 was another hit, with former England captain Charlotte Edwards quick to reply, “That was my fave kit, I’ve still got it!”
We’ve got a couple of options pic.twitter.com/TniYjMKTKd%E2%80%94 Sophie Devine (@sophdevine77) March 8, 2019
@C_Edwards23 thoughts?! pic.twitter.com/NnzJqbMNqG%E2%80%94 Sophie Devine (@sophdevine77) March 8, 2019
Other options include the green star design worn in Australia during their series against England in 2000, or the green-and-gold ‘W’ design worn on corresponding tour of the UK one year later.
Image Id: F1211731751E44E9A754ACDE8245C989 Image Caption: Australia's predominately gold 2000 kit (left) and their 2001 version // Getty Images
Australia wrapped up a one-day international whitewash against the White Ferns last weekend and their next engagement will be the Ashes in the UK this July.
Their home summer will see them meet Sri Lanka in a series of ODIs and T20Is, ahead of the T20 World Cup on Australian soil next February-March.