Retiring legend Devine laments not playing 'ultimate' format

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/devine-sophie/KfTz4iBa/"]Devine[/a] will end her 20-year international career at the Women's T20 World Cup in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/6ylAmvOm/"]England[/a] and Wales in June-July, alongside retiring long-standing team-mates Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu.[/p][p]The 36-year-old is one of the world's best all-rounders, scoring almost 8,000 runs and taking 239 wickets across ODIs and T20 internationals.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/6L5RoIh0/"]New Zealand[/a]'s women's team, the White Ferns, last played a Test in August 2004, a drawn match against England at Scarborough.[/p][p]Devine said it's a format she "[b]would have loved to have played[/b]".[/p][p]"[b]It just hasn't been a priority for New Zealand cricket,[/b]" Devine told AFP.[/p][p]"[b]I'll walk away from the game having not played one, but it's really cool to see more countries are taking up that opportunity to play Test cricket[/b]."[/p][embed guid="a3f308b3-f4e1-45af-95b1-cc2c8ebe2f40" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJeRdho_ogQ" social-type="youtube" /][p]Between 2010 and 2020 just eight women's Tests were played featuring either England, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OdGMnbwf/"]Australia[/a], India or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/A52vg00Q/"]South Africa[/a].[/p][p]In the past five years there have been 12 women's Tests played between those nations and the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/west-indies/CEl6lK8s/"]West Indies[/a] are to play a one-off Test against England in August 2027, their first in more than 20 years.[/p][p]Devine said New Zealand would first need to prioritise longer form cricket domestically.[/p][p]"[b]You can't just rock up and play a four-day or five-day woman's Test, there's obviously a lot of work that has to go into that,[/b]" Devine said.[/p][p]"None of us have played multi-day cricket. Well, I have, but that was when I was in high school or playing club cricket 20 or 25 years ago.[/p][p]"[b]For me it's probably the ultimate form of the game.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="c1ab33ef-4a03-448e-b547-410a074dbcf3" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S8LUdm6NUo" social-type="youtube" /][p]In recent years Devine has taken time off from the game to focus on her mental health, having talked of feeling "numb" even during some of her greatest achievements.[/p][p]In speaking out other cricketers have followed, the likes of New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr often opening up about her darkest moments.[/p][p]"[b]There certainly does seem to be a bit more acceptance with athletes sharing their stories and the mental health battles that people face,[/b]" Devine said.[/p][p]"Sometimes there's a stigma attached to mental health, especially with athletes, but hopefully I've been part of that acceptance and willingness to talk and share.[/p][p]"[b]Would I have liked to have not gone through it? Absolutely. But I think it's part of who I am and it's helped me grow and learn and become who I am today.[/b]"[/p][embed guid="fb2067dc-faa8-43b2-b3b8-7f3df6c0b48e" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuDPisUBfGE" social-type="youtube" /][p]She said her personal struggles had set the tone for how she sought to lead the White Ferns at the 2024 T20 World Cup.[/p][p]New Zealand turned around a run of 11 straight losses leading into the tournament to win the title.[/p][p]It's an approach continued and perhaps improved upon by the 25-year-old Kerr, who has averaged more than 70 with the bat and under 18 with the ball since taking on the captaincy.[/p][p]"[b]Maybe I should have handed over the captaincy much sooner, had I know what it would do for her game,[/b]" Devine said.[/p][p]"[b]We're in a better place than we were in '24. That playing XI is going to be tough to pick.[/b]"[/p][p]As she heads towards her final matches wearing the white fern, Devine said she is "[b]fortunate and grateful[/b]" to have played at the time she has.[/p][p]In her early days Devine said she would earn as little as NZ$30 (now AU$25) for playing in a match, whereas in March she was bought for £210,000 (AU$400,000) to play for the Welsh Fire in the women's Hundred.[/p][p]"[b]It's really exciting[/b]," said Devine, who will still play franchise cricket after international retirement.[/p][p]"[b]And it's only going to get bigger and better.[/b]"[/p]