Former champion England ready to take on Asia alone

India and Sri Lanka also likely to progress to Super Six stage ahead of inexperienced Pakistan 

Two-time former champion England finds itself taking on all the Asian teams in pursuit of a place in the Super Six stage from Group B of next week’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2009to be staged from 7 to 22 March. 

England, winner in 1973 and 1993 on home turf, launches its latest campaign against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the tournament at Manuka Oval, Canberra. Two days later in the feature match of the group, Charlotte Edwards’s side meets 2005 World Cup beaten finalist India on 10 March before concluding the group stage of the tournament against Pakistan on 12 March. 

England’s matches against India and Pakistan will be played at North Sydney Oval and will be covered live by ICC’s official broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports. 

Traditional rivals India and Pakistan also get into action on the opening day of the tournament at Bradman Oval. Sri Lanka will meet Pakistan at Manuka Oval on 12 March and on the last day of the first round matches on 14 March, India will take on Sri Lanka at Bankstown Oval. 

If recent performances are anything to do with this group, then in all probability Pakistan will be the team that does not progress to the Super Six stage, which starts from 14 March, while the match between England and India could decide who tops the group. 

Pakistan won the right to compete against the elite when it reached the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier (ICC WWCQ) in Stellenbosch, South Africa last year where it lost to South Africa by eight wickets. On its way to the final, Pakistan surprised two top-10 ranked teams – ninth-placed Ireland by 57 runs and 10th-placed Netherlands by 94 runs in the semi-final. Urooj Mumtaz’s side also accounted for Scotland by 252 runs and Zimbabwe by nine wickets on way to the semi-final. 

But since the semi-final victory over the Netherlands in the semi-final at Stellenbosch, Pakistan’s performance has taken a nose-dive as it has lost all eight ODIs – one against South Africa (in the final of ICC WWQ), two against India (in Asia Cup) and five against Sri Lanka (two in Asia Cup and three in triangular series in Bangladesh) – with batting giving Mumtaz major headaches. 

So much so that with the exception of fast bowler Javeria Khan, the performances of other key players have dipped significantly. 

While Javeria has figures of 11-172 in the last seven ODIs, Sana Mir, who was player of the tournament in Stellenbosch along with the Netherlands’ Caroline de Fouw, has scored only 67 runs and has taken 5-265, captain Urooj Mumtaz has contributed 122 runs and has taken 12-268 and Sajid Shah, who is the only Pakistan bowler in the top 20 of the Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, has picked up 6-223. 

On paper, England looks to be a superior side to India but in reality, there is very little to choose between the two sides as both have enjoyed almost equal success against each other. The two teams have met 46 times with Charlotte Edwards’s side winning 24 matches and Jhulan Goswami’s side emerging winner on 20 occasions. 

However, England and India maintain a 100 per cent record against the other two teams in the group, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 

In the most recent series between the two teams, England beat India 4-0 in a five-match series in England last September, a season which saw England win nine out of the 10 ODIs with the last match against India being washed-out. 

England is the most improved of the eight sides taking part in the World Cup, having the likes of Edwards, Clair Taylor, Sarah Taylor, Lydia Greenway, Caroline Atkins (all batters), Isa Guha, Holly Colvin, Katherine Brunt , Nicola Shaw (all bowlers) and all-rounder Jenny Gunn. All these players figure in the top 20 of batting and bowling listings of Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings. 

Edwards is not only an experienced captain who has led England in 43 ODIs, winning 24 of those match, she has also been an inspirational leader as she is the fourth most successful batter in women’s cricket after Belinda Clark (4,844 runs), Karen Rolton (4,495) and Debbie Hockley (4,064) with 3,520 runs. 

Edwards will be appearing in her fourth World Cup. In her debut World Cup in India where England lost to New Zealand by 20 runs in the semi-final, Edwards was her team’s leading run-getter with 365 runs at an average of 91.25 while in New Zealand in 2000, where England finished fifth, she scored 157 runs at an average of 52.33. In South Africa in 2005, where England lost to Australia by five wickets in the semi-final, she was the leading scorer with 280 runs at an average of 46.66. 

Another experienced campaigner in the England side is Claire Taylor who will be appearing in her third World Cup and has already played 102 ODIs. In her debut World Cup in New Zealand in 2000, Taylor, who is the sixth leading run-getter in women’s cricket with 3,287 runs, was England’s principle scorer with 267 runs at an average of 66.75 while in 2005 in South Africa, she was just behind Edwards with 265 runs. 

Apart from Edwards and Taylor, other survivors from the 2005 campaign include Brunt, Greenway, Guha, Gunn and Shaw. 

The event will also be a big test for Ebony-Jewl Rainford-Brent, the 25-year-old fast bowler, who is returning after a back injury. Brent made her debut at the age of 17 but last played for England in the home series against South Africa. 

India will be relying heavily on captain Jhulan Goswami, former captain Mithali Raj and veteran Anjum Chopra who will be appearing in her fourth World Cup. 

Goswami, who captained India on the tour to Australia late last year where India was blanked out 5-0, is most experienced current bowler with 105 ODI wickets in 93 ODIs. Goswami, ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2007, was the third leading wicket-taker behind team-mates Neetu David (20 wickets) and Ajay Sharma (14) with 13 wickets in the 2005 World Cup. 

Raj is undoubtedly the mainstay of the India team as she was not only her team’s main run-getter in South Africa four years ago along with Chopra but is also the fifth most successful batter with 3,302 runs. While she scored 199 runs in South Africa, her contribution in the 2000 World Cup was 152 runs from three matches at an average of 76. 

Raj was also the leading run-getter for India in her side’s 4-0 series loss to England and 5-0 defeat to Australia last year. In England, Raj scored 231 runs at an average of 77 while in Australia, her contribution was 138 runs. 

Chopra had a below-par World Cup in 1997 when she could manage only eight runs from three matches. However, in New Zealand she was India’s best performer with 267 runs at an average of 38.14. In South Africa, she scored 180 runs. 

Besides these three, fast bowler and vice-captain Amita Sharma and all-rounder Rumeli Dhar will also be returning for their second World Cup. 

Sri Lanka will be appearing in the World Cup for the fourth time with 32-year-old Hiruka Fernando all set to become her country’s only player to figure in all the events. The left-handed batter is also her country’s most experienced player with 51 ODIs in which she has scored 929 runs, including an unbeaten 78 against South Africa in Pretoria in 2005 which earned her the player-of-the-match award. 

Hiruka and Rose Fernando will be one of the family stories of the tournament as the sisters hope to make an important contribution to the success of its team at the tournament. While Hiruka is171 runs short of becoming the first Sri Lankan woman to score 1,000 ODI runs, Rose is her country’s second most successful bowler behind captain Shashikala Siriwardena (44) with 42 wickets. 

Besides Hiruka, all-rounder Shamani Seneviratne and left-handed opener Dedunu de Silva will be appearing in their second World Cup. 

Sri Lanka has shown significant improvement of late in its batting. After averaging a dismal 116 runs while batting first and only 89 runs when chasing targets in 17 World Cup matches, it has gone up to 185 runs in the first innings and 155 runs in the second innings in the last 13 matches. 

The top four teams from the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 will automatically qualify for the 2013 event to be staged in India while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will earn direct spots in the 10-team ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2011 where they will be joined by eight other sides – two each from Africa, Asia and Europe, and one each from Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions – who will qualify from their own regional qualifying tournaments. 

Group B squads 

ENGLAND – Charlotte Edwards (captain), Caroline Atkins, Katherine Brunt, Holly Colvin, Lydia Greenway, Lauren Griffiths, Isa Guha, Jenny Gunn, Laura Marsh, Beth Morgan, Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent, Nicola Shaw, Anya Shrubsole, Claire Taylor, Sarah Taylor. 

INDIA - Jhulan Goswami (captain), Amita Sharma (vice-captain), Anagha Deshpande, Anjum Chopra, Gouher Sultana, Harpreet Kaur, Mithali Raj, Poonam Raut, Priyanka Roy, Reema Malhotra, Rumeli Dhar, Snehal Pradhan, Sravanthi Naidu, Sulakshana Naik, Thirush Kamini. 

PAKISTAN – Urooj Mumtaz (captain), Sana Mir (vice-captain), Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Armaan Khan, Batool Fatima, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi, Nahida Khan, Naila Nazir, Qanita Jalil, Sajjida Shah, Sania Khan, Sukhan Faiz. 

SRI LANKA – Shashikala Siriwardena (captain), Chamani Seneviratne (vice-captain), Suwini de Alwis, Hiruka Fernando, Rose Fernando, Inoka Galagedara, Gayathri Kariyawasam, Eshani Lokusooriya, Dilani Manodara, Chamari Polgampola, Udeshika Prabodani, Deepika Rasangika, Dedunu de Silva, Sripali Weerakkody, Chandi Wickremasinghe. 

Group B fixtures: 

Sat 7 March – India v Pakistan, Bradman Oval; England v Sri Lanka, Manuka Oval 
Mon 9 March – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Manuka Oval 
Tues 10 March – India v England, North Sydney Oval 
Wed 12 March – England v Pakistan, North Sydney Oval; India v Sri Lanka, Bankstown Oval

ICC Media Release
Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:35:58 AM

ICC announces schedule of pre-event media activities

Next week, there will be a number of media opportunities in relation to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 which takes place in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory from 7 to 22 March. 

The teams will start arriving in Sydney ahead of the welcome function, which takes place at the Sydney Opera House on 5 March, beginning at 1615. All accredited journalists, who will have collected their tournament passes by then, are invited to attend.

5 Mar – Welcome Function 

7 Mar – India v Pakistan, Bradman Oval 

8 Mar – West Indies v South Africa, Newcastle No. 1 Sports Ground 

10 Mar – Australia v South Africa, Newcastle No. 1 Sports Ground 

12 Mar – New Zealand v South Africa, Bradman Oval 

14 Mar – A2 v B2, Bankstown Oval 

17 Mar – A3 v B2, Drummoyne Oval 

19 Mar – A2 v B3, Drummoyne Oval 

21 Mar – Practice sessions in the lead-up to the final 

22 Mar – final, NSO 

23 Mar – Winning captain and player of the tournament with trophies, Sydney Harbour 


Ahead of the welcome function, all eight teams will be holding media conferences on 3 and 5 March at the Menzies Hotel, Sydney. All print, radio, television and internet journalists are invited to attend those media conferences upon production of the relevant identification. 

The arrival press conferences are expected to be attended by the captains, vice-captains, coaches and managers while each team is expected to put up four players for the open media sessions. 

The schedule of pre-event media activities are as follows: 


Tuesday 3 March 

0945 – Australia captain Karen Rolton’s news conference 

1015 – West Indies captain Merissa Aguilleira news conference 

1030 – England captain Charlotte Edward’s news conference 

1100 – Australia team’s open media session 

1145 – West Indies team’s open media session 

1215 – England team’s open media session 


Thursday 5 March 

1000 – New Zealand captain Haidee Tiffen’s news conference 

1030 – South Africa captain Sunette Loubser news conference 

1100 – India captain Jhulan Goswami’s news conference 

1130 – Sri Lanka captain Shashikala Sriwardena news conference 

1145 – Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz’s news conference 

1215 – South Africa team’s open media session 

1215 – Sri Lanka team’s open media session 

1215 – Pakistan team’s open media session 

1300 – India team’s open media session 

1300 – New Zealand team’s open media session 


For interviews with players and team officials outside of these times, please contact the relevant team manager directly. Their tournament mobile phone numbers are: 


Australia +61 410 914 907 

England +61 414 197 234 

India +61 415 874 118 

New Zealand +61420 797 281 

Pakistan +61 404 236 349 

South Africa +61 414 282 620 

Sri Lanka +61 415 236 978 

West Indies +61 415 232 801 


Meanwhile, there will be a number of warm-up matches taking place across Sydney with all eight teams involved. A full schedule of warm-up matches is: 


Monday 2 March – West Indies v New South Wales (NSW), Old Kings; Australia v England, Village Green 

Tuesday 3 March – New Zealand v Pakistan, Manly; Sri Lanka v NWS, Old Kings; India v South Africa, Raby 1 

Wednesday 4 March – Australia v Sri Lanka, Manly; India v New Zealand, Old Kings; England v West Indies, Raby 1; Pakistan v South Africa, Green Village 


Brief round-up and full scorecards of these matches will be posted on the event website shortly after the close of play each day. 


When the proper tournament gets underway, there will be live ball-by-ball coverage on the event website. 

Much of the content on the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 website iccevents.yahoo.com will be available for use by broadcast and print outlets for free charge. In short, all reports, scorecards and audio interviews posted on the website can be lifted without any copyright issue. 

Please note that all seven matches taking place at North Sydney Oval during the tournament proper, including the final, will be televised live by ICC’s host broadcaster ESPN STAR Sport (ESS). At this venue, the usual ICC event protocols regarding non-rights-holding broadcasters will apply. On match days, non-rights-holders will only be permitted to film the post-match press conference. No other filming is allowed at the NSO on match days. 

At the other venues, non-rights-holding broadcasters may film up to 20 minutes of footage for no more than 90 seconds of air time. This is in line with existing news-access protocols. 

Journalists who have been accredited to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 will by now have received official notification by the ICC. As previously advised, your pass will be waiting for you on the day of the open media sessions. Those arriving after 6 March can collect their passes from the Venue Media Manager of the venue nominated during the application process. 

Before you receive your media pass for the tournament, you will be required to sign a copy of ICC’s standard media terms and conditions.

ICC Media Advisory
Saturday, February 28, 2009 9:34:43 AM

South Africa and West Indies could be vying for last place in Super Six

Australia and New Zealand renew rivalry at North Sydney Oval in one of the seven matches to be covered by ESPN STAR Sports 

Karen Rolton needs 350 runs to become leading batter in women’s cricket 

Defending champion Australia and two-time former winner New Zealand start off as favourites to qualify for the Super Six stage of next week’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 from Group A which also includes West Indies and qualifier South Africa. 

Australia has won the tournament five times – 1978 and 1997 in India, 1982 in New Zealand, 1988 in Australia and 2005 in South Africa – while New Zealand lifted the trophy back in 2000. 

The West Indies, by virtue of finishing in the top six of the 2005 tournament, qualified directly for the Australian event while South Africa and Pakistan sealed their places by reaching the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Stellenbosch, South Africa, when the home team won by eight wickets. 

The top four teams from the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 will automatically qualify for the 2013 event to be staged in India while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will earn direct spots in the 10-team ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2011 where they will be joined by eight other sides – two each from Africa and Europe, and one each from Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions – who will qualify from their own regional qualifying tournaments. 

The Group A teams will be in action on the second day of the tournament on Sunday 8 March when Australia and New Zealand renew their rivalry and go head to head at North Sydney Oval in a match which, in all probability, will decide who tops the group. The match will also be the first of the seven matches which will be covered by ICC’s broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports. 

On the same day at Newcastle No. 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle, West Indies faces South Africa with the winner likely to join Australia and New Zealand in the Super Six stage from the group. 

Head-to-head, Australia and New Zealand have met 97 times with the reigning world champion winning 69 matches and New Zealand returning winners 27 times with one ending in a no-result. 

If there is a current player who knows how a World Cup is won, it is Australia captain Karen Rolton who was a member of the Australia sides that won in 1997 and 2005. She was also part of the side which lost the 2000 World Cup final to New Zealand by four runs. 

In her debut World Cup in India, she scored 115 runs at an average of 57.50, before finishing as the lead run-getter in New Zealand in 2000 with 393 runs at an average of 131. In 2005 in South Africa, Rolton was declared player of the final for her 107 not out and also won the player-of-the-tournament award for scoring 246 runs and taking 10 wickets. 

Rolton now has a big milestone waiting for her around the corner. The 35-year-old South Australian requires 350 runs to leapfrog her former captain Belinda Clark (4,844 runs) to become the lead run-getter in women’s cricket. 

Had Rolton continued to take her bowling seriously, she would have long time back became the first women’s player to complete a double of 100 wickets and 1,000 or more runs. But the captain hasn’t turned her arm over in the last 31 ODIs which means she still sits on 85 wickets besides her 4,495 runs. 

Besides Rolton, Alex Blackwell, Shelley Nitschke and Lisa Sthalekar are the other surviving members from the team that won its fifth World Cup in New Zealand four years ago. 

In the recent Rose Bowl Series, which ended in a 2-2 draw after the fifth match was abandoned due to rain, Nitschke led the series run scorers’ list with 144 runs, while fellow all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar was the leading wicket taker with seven. 

All-rounder Ellyse Perry is the youngest member of the Australia team at the age of 18 and is tipped to be one of the players to watch in the tournament despite a disappointing Rose Bowl Series by her high standards. The New South Wales all-rounder became the youngest Australia player ever when she made her debut in Darwin the 2007 Rose Bowl Series. 

The other two teenagers in the Australia side are fast bowler Delissa Kimmince and off-spinner Erin Osborne. 

New Zealand will be led by experienced Haidee Tiffen who was a member of Emily Drumm’s side that won its maiden title to date in 2000. In the four-run victory over Australia in the final at Lincoln four years ago, Haidee’s contribution was 14 with the bat and had bowling figures of 5-1-27-0 though she ended up scoring 187 runs and taking eight wickets in the tournament. 

Tiffen is 360 runs short of becoming the second New Zealander after Debbie Hockley and seventh in the world to score 3,000 or more runs. Tiffen sits on 2,640 and needs 204 runs to leapfrog former captain Emily Drumm (2,844) to become second most successful New Zealand batter. 

Vice-captain Amiee Mason, who replaced Drumm after the first two matches of the 2005 tournament, Nicola Browne and Sara McGlashan, besides Tiffen, are the other players who represented New Zealand in South Africa in 2005where it lost to India in the semi-final. 

Besides the experience of the quartet in the ranks, New Zealand has high hopes from left-hander batter Amy Satterthwaite and all-rounders Suzie Bates and Lucy Doolan who have performed well in the last few months, including the Rose Bowl Series against Australia. 

Since the 2005 World Cup, New Zealand has played in eight series, winning only two –against India (4-1) in March 2006 and against England in England (by 3-1) in August 2007. New Zealand’s losses were against Australia in the Rose Bowl Series in October 2006, July 2007 and March 2008, women’s quadrangular tournament in India in February 2007 and against England at home in March 2008. 

The West Indies is the fifth-ranked team in women’s cricket and includes five players – Debbie-Ann Lewis, Pamela Lavine, Anisa Mohammed, Cordel Jack and Kirbyina Alexander – who were part of the side that finished fifth in South Africa in 2005 with two wins and three defeats. 

Pamela Lavine was West Indies’ batting mainstay in New Zealand when she contributed 145 runs at an average of 48.33. The other player who left an impression four years ago was Juliana Nero who scored 197 runs at 49.25 but has pulled out of next month’s tournament due to a hamstring injury. 

After being without a match in 2006 and 2007, the West Indies beat the Netherlands (4-0) and Ireland (2-0) but lost to England (1-0) and Sri Lanka (3-2) in 2008. Overall, the West Indies has played 58 matches, winning 25 and losing 31 while in World Cups, it enjoys a 31.25 per cent success-rate. 

Like the West Indies, South Africa is also underprepared as it has played only 20 ODIs since the 2005 World Cup, including nine in 2008. 

South Africa has a new captain in Sunnette Loubser who has replaced Cri-Zelda Brits. The 26-year-old Loubser made her ODI debut against Pakistan in 2007 and has played in 14 ODIs in which she has taken 18 wickets. She has played in one Test against the Netherlands in Rotterdam in where she recorded match figures of 54.3-22-59-8 to play a major role in her side’s first-ever victory at the highest level. 

Brits along with vice-captain Alicia Smith, Susan Benade, Ashlyn Kilowan, Charlize van der Westuizen and Claire Terblanche were in the 2005 squad that finished in seventh place in New Zealand where Brits was the fourth leading run-getter with 206 runs while Smith was her team’s leading wicket-taker with nine. 

There is very little to choose between the West India and South Africa as both the sides have met four teams and have won two matches apiece. The only time when two met in a World Cup was on 24 March 2005 which went down to the wire before South Africa held its nerves to win by one-run 

On that day, South Africa batted first and collected 169 in 49 overs. In turn, the West Indies fell short by one run when it was bowled out for 168 with two balls to spare. The match was dominated by Cri-Zelda Brits who followed up her 120-ball 71 with figures of 9.4-1-37-4. 

The West Indies, however, avenged that defeat immediately after the World Cup when it defeated South Africa 2-1 in a three-match series played in Pretoria. 

Group A squads 

AUSTRALIA – Karen Rolton (captain), Alex Blackwell (vice-captain), Sarah Andrews, Jessica Cameron, Leonie Coleman, Lauren Ebsary, Rene Farrell, Jodie Fields, Delissa Kimmince, Shelley Nitschke, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton, Emma Sampson, Lisa Sthalekar. 

NEW ZEALAND – Haidee Tiffen (captain), Aimee Mason (vice-captain), Suzie Bates, Nicola Browne, Abby Burrows, Sophie Devine, Lucy Doolan, Sara McGlashan, Beth McNeill, Katey Martin, Rachel Priest, Kate Pulford, Amy Satterthwaite, Sarah Tsukigawa. 

SOUTH AFRICA - Sunette Loubser (captain), Alicia Smith (vice-captain), Susan Benade, Cri-Zelda Brits, Trisha Chetty, Mignon du Preez, Shandre Fritz, Shabnim Ismail, Ashlyn Kilowan, Marcia Letsoalo, Charlize van der Westhuizen, Yolandi van der Westhuizen, Dane van Niekerk, Claire Terblanche, Marizanne Kapp. 

WEST INDIES – Merissa Aguilleira (captain), Kirbyina Alexander (vice-captain), Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Geneille Greaves, Cordel Jack, Stacy-Ann King, Pamela Lavine, Anisa Mohammed, Debbie-Ann Lewis, Shakera Selman, Danielle Small, Charlene Taitt, Stefanie Taylor. 

Group A fixtures: 

Sun 8 March – Australia v New Zealand, North Sydney Oval; South Africa v West Indies, Newcastle No 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle 

Tues 10 March – Australia v South Africa, Newcastle No 1 Sports Ground, Newcastle; New Zealand v West Indies, Bankstown Oval 

Thurs 12 March – Australia v West Indies, Drummoyne Oval, New Zealand v South Africa, Bowral

ICC Media Release
Friday, February 27, 2009 12:36:46 PM

Former and current men's captains get behind their teams

Gavaskar advises India to believe in itself and take heart from men’s team’s win in 1983 

Akram says Pakistan girls deserve to compete against the best; Ranatunga confident Sri Lanka capable of causing a few surprises 

Hunger and drive necessary to be the absolute best, reminds Vettori; Strauss says England should be proud of its recent record 

Former and current captains of the men’s teams have sent their respective national cricket teams good-luck messages ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 which gets underway in Australia next week. 

Eight teams – holder Australia, India, England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan – will go head to head from 7 March in a 16-day tournament during which 25 matches will be played. 

ESPN STAR Sports, ICC’s official broadcaster, will broadcast all seven matches that will take place at North Sydney Oval, including the final. This will ensure that the event will be the most widely viewed yet, with the coverage to be aired in more than 100 countries. 

Indian great Sunil Gavaskar, one of the ICC Hall of Famers, said the India team should take heart from the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup triumph and continue to believe in itself. “The Indian team was good enough to get to the finals of the last World Cup, so it should believe in itself and play freely. It is a team with a combination of youth and experience and that is always a great way to begin a campaign. 

“The team was lucky that it was practised at the National Cricket Academy and the players were able to interact with the likes of VVS Laxman and RP Singh which would have given them a lot of confidence. 

“This is the silver jubilee year of India’s triumph in the 1983 World Cup and if the women’s team can take heart from that effort and keep fighting till the last ball is bowled, who knows, it may be able to do what we did 25 years ago.” 

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who was player of the final of the 1992 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against England, said Pakistan’s participation in the premier competition was evidence that the country’s girls had the talent to compete against the best. “It is great to know that Pakistan women’s cricket team has qualified for the World Cup. It clearly proves that the team has the talent that is required to line up with the best in women’s cricket. 

“I want to see the Pakistan team go out there and give its best. It has nothing to lose as it is not amongst the top-ranked teams. This should lessen the pressure on the players and when you have nothing to lose and nothing to fear, you tend to give up your best,” said Akram who took 414 Test and 502 ODI wickets during his career. 

Arjuna Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to World Cup glory in Lahore in 1996, advised his team to go match by match as the event was not about big names. “The World Cup is not about big names but about how you perform in the big arena. 

“Sri Lanka needs to take each game at a time and go stage by stage. Its first target should be to qualify for the Super Six stage. The players need to trust their talent, ability, prowess and need to believe that they are good enough to win the ICC Women’s World Cup,” said Ranatunga, a veteran of 93 Tests and 269 ODIs. 

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said Haidee Tiffen’s side was strong and had some good performers. “The New Zealand side looks to be one of the most experienced we’ve had in a while and there is some world-class talent in there with hitters like Suzie Bates, all-rounder Nicola Browne and bowlers like Sophie Devine. 

“In a World Cup it’s all about performance on the day so there’s got to be a hunger and a drive to be the absolute best you can be. 

“We cheered them when they played the curtain- raiser to our Twenty20 International against Australia and will be sending messages of support to the team throughout the World Cup and keeping in contact with them as much as possible.” 

England captain Andrew Strauss said Charlotte Edwards’ team should be proud of its recent record which will give it the confidence to do well in Australia. “The England women’s team can be really proud of its record over the last few years and beating Australia at home and away was a terrific achievement. The team has plenty of talented young players coming through the system too which bodes well for the future. 

“We always take an interest in how the women’s team is doing and it was great to see Charlotte Edwards winning the ICC Women’s Player of the Year award in Dubai last year. 

“It’s an important year for the women’s team. With three major competitions coming up, it gives them a great opportunity to get more exposure for women’s cricket and hopefully it will help encourage more women and girls in this country to take up the sport.”

ICC Media Release
Thursday, February 26, 2009 5:35:20 PM

West Indies sets one eye on Super Six stage and other on the future

Captain Aguilleira hopes her team will play to its strength and avoid complacency 

The West Indies prepares for next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 with one eye on the Super Six stage and the other on the 2013 tournament to be staged in India. 

The women from the Caribbean are short on experience, match practice and international exposure after having played only 17 ODIs since the 2005 World Cup in South Africa, including three immediately after the tournament and 14 last year. In 2006 and 2007, the West Indies did not play a single match. 

Captain Merissa Aguilleira, commenting on her team’s shortcomings, said: “We have had some tough times with the bat but I believe we are getting things in place. What we have to make sure is we are in the right mindset and know how we deal with pressure situations. We want to put our best foot forward. 

“We have a very young team so we will be building for the future as well. The main events this year will present wonderful opportunities to plan for 2013 when we would come back knowing more and putting the systems in place.” 

The average age of the side is just 23.66 and includes four teenagers with the youngest member being hard-hitting batter Deandra Dottin from Barbados who will celebrate her 18th birthday on 21 June. Right-handed batter Pamela Lavine is the oldest member of the team and will celebrate her 40th birthday on 12 March, the day the West Indies plays defending champion Australia at Drummoyne Oval. 

At 23, Aguilleira herself is the youngest captain in the tournament, beating Pakistan’s Urooj Mumtaz by just 74 days. She has represented the West Indies in eight matches and took over the reins of the team after the retirement of Nadine George who hung up her boots after the tour to Sri Lanka where the home team won 3-2. 

“We had a good camp in Barbados at the end of January before we dispersed but continued the hard work individually. Once we get to Australia, we will have more training sessions as well as warm-up matches. We will be playing as a team, keeping our focus and aiming to do the West Indian people proud,” she added. 

The West Indies, which finished fifth in 2005, is pooled with defending champion Australia, former champion New Zealand and South Africa in Group A while Group B is made up of India, two-time winner England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. 

The West Indies opens its campaign against South Africa at Newcastle No. 1 Sports Ground in a match which Aguilleira says is crucial to her team’s chances. 

“The first match of any tournament is always very important and this will be no different. It is vitally important to our chances and we are looking forward to this game very anxiously,” she said. 

“We have been preparing for this match while we have waited years for this tournament. We want to start on a winning note, go out there and do it in the first match, and try to make a statement. 

“Our strengths are our bowling and fielding. We have some excellent spinners who can win matches for us. Our batting is on the up and we must keep improving to put up good scores for the bowlers to defend. 

“In Sri Lanka, we learned what complacency can do as we lost the series after leading it at one stage. 

“We are definitely looking to reach the Super Six stage and take it from there. But we all know it will be tough going,” said Aguilleira. 

The West Indies includes five players – Debbie-Ann Lewis, Pamela Lavine, Anisa Mohammed, Cordel Jack and Kirbyina Alexander – who were part of the side that finished fifth in South Africa in 2005 with two wins and three defeats, including a one-run defeat against South Africa at Pretoria. 

“Some of the players from the last World Cup are still in the team. We will be depending on them to offer experience and leadership. 

“We will be positive from start to finish and you are well aware, a match is only finished when that last ball is bowled,” she said. 

Aguilleira picked teenagers Stefanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and 21-year-old vice-captain Kirbyina Alexander as the players to watch. “Stefanie is a young and talented opener. She knows what she wants and is always willing to learn. 

“Deandra is another excellent young batter with awesome power and the ability to hit the ball very far while Kirbyina, our vice-captain, is mentally very strong, never gives up, she always tries to push herself to the top and is a real team player.” 

Taylor has scored 276 runs in 10 ODIs besides taking nine wickets while Dottin has scored 240 runs in 12 matches. Fast bowler Alexander has bagged 12 wickets from as many matches and her best bowling figures of 10-6-6-3 was in the match in which the Netherlands was bowled out for 22 at Sportpark Het Schootsveld, Deventer last July. 

“I feel very excited. I will be playing in the ICC Women’s World Cup for the first time, representing my people and playing against some of the best players in the world. 

“It is an honour to be the captain of the West Indies cricket team and leading the team to such a prestigious event. At the moment I am fully focussed on doing the job and I am looking to giving my all,” she said. 

WEST INDIES – Merissa Aguilleira (captain), Kirbyina Alexander (vice-captain), Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Geneille Greaves, Cordel Jack, Stacy-Ann King, Pamela Lavine, Anisa Mohammed, Debbie-Ann Lewis, Shakera Selman, Danielle Small, Charlene Taitt, Stefanie Taylor.

ICC Media Release
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 11:03:46 AM

Celebrities appointed as honorary team Ambassadors for ICC Women's World Cup 2009

Radio personalities Adam Spencer and Jaslyn Hall, singer Kamahl, restaurateur Ajoy Joshi and SBS news presenters Anton Enus and Janice Petersen are lending their support to the ICC Women’s World Cup as Honorary Team Ambassadors. 

The ICC Women's World Cup Australia 2009 commences on Saturday 7 March and brings together the world’s top eight ranked women’s cricket teams - Australia, India, New Zealand, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan. 

The tournament will see 25 matches played across North Sydney Oval, Bankstown Oval, Drummoyne Oval, Newcastle Sportsground 1, Manuka Oval in Canberra and Bradman Oval in Bowral. 

As international teams arrive in Sydney from Wednesday 25 February through to Monday 2 March, each Honorary Ambassador will encourage their local community to show support for their national team as they compete on Australian soil. 

ABC radio personality and sports enthusiast Adam Spencer is a well known supporter of women’s sport and is a cricket tragic. 

"As coach of the University of Sydney women’s all age second grade football team, I know the positive impact sport can have on the local community and I’m proud to support the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars as they strive to retain the World Cup title," said Spencer. 

"These girls have top class skills and deserve our support at the grounds." 

Born to Sri Lankan parents, Kamahl is proud to be an honorary ambassador and inspire the Sri Lankan community to take part in the tournament. He is a lifelong cricket fan who had a friendship with Sir Donald Bradman and released the single ‘I Was A Mate Of Don Bradman’. 

“I’m of course honoured to be the Sri Lanka team ambassador and I’m looking forward to seeing some wonderful cricket played in this tournament, especially when Australia meets Sri Lanka so I can support both teams and be pleased no matter the result,” said Kamahl. 

Celebrity chef Ajoy Joshi, whose restaurant Nilgiri’s is synonymous with great Indian cuisine, is keen to host the Indian team for a meal ahead of the tournament. 

“I am passionate about cricket and encourage everyone to get along to a match or two for great quality cricket at our local ovals,” said Joshi. 

SBS news presenters Anton Enus and Janice Petersen, both of whom have South African heritage, are united in their hope to see South Africa reach the finals. 

Former Triple J presenter Jaslyn Hall, who is a native of Barbados, will be at the airport on Wednesday morning to help welcome the West Indies team as they arrive. 

“It is with great pleasure that we will welcome the West Indian team to Australia for this world class event,” said Hall. 

“They are amongst our finest athletes and we wish them well. 

“Due to Sydney’s passionate West Indian ex-pat community, the team should receive fantastic support - they will certainly be amongst friends.” 

Don’t miss the opportunity to come and support your national team in what will be a fun, affordable day out for the whole family. 

Match tickets start at just $5 and a $35 Tournament Pass will get you into every match.

ICC News
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 4:35:54 PM

Pakistan captain says her team has nothing to lose and everything to gain

Young and inexperienced but ambitious, the Pakistan team is taking inspiration from its performance in Stellenbosch, South Africa, 12 months ago as it prepares to go head to head with the best in next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 in Australia. 

Last February in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, Pakistan put up series of strong performances to spring a surprise on eighth-ranked Ireland by 57 runs, Scotland by 252 runs and Zimbabwe by 94 runs before upsetting 10th-ranked Netherlands in the semi-final by 94 runs which won it a place in the main round for just the second time in its history. 

“We can take a lot of heart from our performance in South Africa where not many people gave us any chance. But we showed we were second best in that group and won the right to play against the best,” said Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz. 

“There are a lot of expectations on us in the World Cup but we have to be realistic. And the reality is we are the eighth-ranked team in the world, we are short of international experience and exposure, and we’ll be competing against teams who we have either never beaten or never played. 

“It leaves us with the task of scaling a mountain. But if we can turn the tables in Stellenbosch, I have no reasons why we can’t do again in Australia. It needs the same passion, dedication and commitment, and I am happy to say we are not short of those qualities. 

“The bottom line is we have got nothing to lose and everything to gain from the World Cup. We will give our best shot, try to learn and achieve as much as we can so that it could help us become a better team for future tournaments and series. The learning process has to continue. 

“We have short and long-term plans in place and no matter what anybody thinks, we know we are heading in the right direction. The players are gaining experience and learning with every match what it requires to excel at the highest level,” said the veteran of 30 ODIs. 

“Our objective in the World Cup is to improve our current eighth-ranking. We have never beaten Sri Lanka but we sense an opportunity against them as we feel we are not too far behind them. If a couple of our players fire on that day, we could end our win drought against them. 

“A victory against Sri Lanka will ensure we improve our ranking, it will enhance our chances of a place in the Super Six stage which would be a massive boost to the team and women’s cricket in Pakistan,” said Urooj. 

If Pakistan finishes at the bottom on Group B, it will still have a chance to achieve its objective when it will play the bottom-placed team from Group A in the seventh and eighth-position play-off match at North Sydney Oval No. 2 on Saturday 14 March. 

Urooj said it was a lifetime opportunity for her team to play in the World Cup. “Many of us never thought we would ever get this far. But now that we are here, we want to stay. 

“We are taking it as a massive opportunity to learn what it feels to play at the highest level and what it requires to consistently perform at that stage. With ESPN STAR Sports covering the matches at North Sydney Oval, we have, at least, one opportunity (against England on 12 March) to give a good account of ourselves on a global stage and let the world know that women’s cricket in Pakistan has come of age and is on the rise. 

“Our opening match is against India and though many think it will be a match between arch-rivals, frankly speaking there is nothing like this in women’s cricket. We have played quite a few times against each other but those were just games of cricket. We respect India because of what it has achieved in women’s cricket. 

“When we play our opening match, we will try to forget it’s a World Cup match because that thought can unsettle you, make you nervous and prevent you from giving your best. I don’t think cricket is a difficult game if you stick to basics. 

“I think the word ‘ICC’ makes this event prestigious and I feel honoured and privileged to not only wear the green blazer but to also lead my country at the highest level which is a dream for any sportsperson. 

“My team is not different. It is also looking forward to the tournament and is keen to make the nation proud. It is a tough task but not impossible,” said Urooj. 

Pakistan will play two warm-up matches in the lead up to the World Cup. It plays New Zealand at Manly on Tuesday 3 March and South Africa at Village Green on Wednesday 4 March. 

PAKISTAN – Urooj Mumtaz (captain), Sana Mir (vice-captain), Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Armaan Khan, Batool Fatima, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nain Abidi, Nahida Khan, Naila Nazir, Qanita Jalil, Sajida Shah, Sania Khan, Sukhan Faiz.

ICC Media Release
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:22:19 PM

2009 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup

2009 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 7-22 March 2009

The 25-match ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will be played at six venues in Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Bowral from 7-22 March 2009. Australia and India are the tournament’s top two seeds, with New Zealand and England viewed as the other two main chances for the title.

As the tournament’s top-ranked team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have been placed in Group A along with New Zealand, West Indies and South Africa. Group B contains India, England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars will open their World Cup defence with a Trans Tasman clash against New Zealand on 8 March at North Sydney Oval before completing their Group A commitments with matches against South Africa and West Indies in Newcastle and Drummoyne.

Providing they make it through their Group matches to the Super Sixes stage, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars will play three more matches before the final and playoff matches.

“Hosting the World Cup is a fantastic opportunity for Cricket Australia and Cricket New South Wales and we can’t wait to welcome the world’s cricket community to Australia next March,” Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland, said.

“With the generous support provided by the NSW Government, the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup will set a new benchmark for the promotion and staging of women’s cricket.

ICC Names Umpires For Women's World Cup

The ICC has announced the match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 in Australia, which runs from 7 to 22 March.

Brian Aldridge and David Jukes will be the match referees for the 16-day tournament while the on-field umpires will be split between appointments from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires, the ICC Associate and Affiliate International Umpires’ Panel, East Asia-Pacific Regional Panel and domestic panel umpires from Australia and New Zealand.

Steve Davis will represent the elite panel while those from other panels are Tony Hill and Brian Jerling (both from the international panel), Shahul Hameed and Sarika Prasaad (both from the Associate and Affiliate panel), Lakani Oala and Neil Harrison (both from the East Asia-Pacific panel), Jeff Brookes, Andrew Craig, Tony Ward, Mick Martell (all members of Australia National Panel) and Gerard Abood (an Australian first-class umpire).

The 13-member umpires’ panel also includes female umpire Kathy Cross who is a member of New Zealand’s Regional Panel. Cross also stood in two matches of the quadrangular World Series of Women’s Cricket tournament staged in New Zealand from 26 January to 8 February 2003. Australia won the tournament when it defeated New Zealand in the final by 109 runs while India finished third and England fourth.

“The panel consists of many up-and-coming umpires who are being given a wonderful opportunity to officiate and gain experience in a World Cup event, alongside Steve Davis of the Elite Panel and Tony Hill and Brian Jerling of the international panel,” said Vince van der Bijl, ICC Umpires’ and Referees’ Manager.

“The other exciting news is that Kathy Cross will become the first woman to officiate in a World Cup event, which is yet another huge boost to women’s cricket.

“The panel has been chosen predominantly from the Australia-New Zealand Pacific Region. The ICC Umpires’ Manager, Doug Cowie has appointed Bob Stratford, the ICC Regional Umpire Performance Manager, who with Davis, Hill and Jerling will also mentor and coach the exciting up and coming talent, during the tournament,” he said.

Individual match appointments will be made in due course.

Umpires: Tony Hill, Lakani Oala, Shahul Hameed, Kathy Cross, Neil Harrison, Sarika Prasaad, Brian Jerling, Steve Davis, Jeff Brookes, Andrew Craig, Tony Ward, Mick Martell, Gerard Abood.
Source: ICC

ICC Women's World Cup 2009 to be most widely viewed women's cricket event of all time

ICC President David Morgan launched the first ever ICC Women’s World Cup in Sydney and revealed it would be the most widely viewed women’s cricket event of all time.

“At least six of the matches will be shown to a television audience divning more than 100 countries thanks to our Broadcast Partners ESPN STAR Sports and its licensees,” he said, looking ahead to next March’s event that will feature the top eight sides in the world.

“It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best of the best at the pinnacle of the sport and it is the latest stage of what we believe will be the continuing increase in the profile of women’s cricket in the months and years to come.

“There have been other world cups before this – eight in fact and, as the women’s event was first played in 1973, that means it pre-dates the first world cup for men by two years.

“But this event, to be played at six venues over 16 days, is the first to come under the ICC’s banner and it is another brick in the wall of women’s cricket, a wall that will grow taller and taller over time.”

The tournament will feature hosts and holders Australia, as well as England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

Mr Morgan said that in the three years since the ICC took control of the women’s game following its merger with the International Women’s Cricket Council in 2005, significant strides had already been made to take the game forward.

“The number of our Members with some form of organised girls or women’s activities has quadrupled in those three years,” he said.

“We have incorporated the women’s cricketer of the year award into the LG ICC Awards ceremony and two weeks ago in Mumbai we launched the Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s Player Rankings.

“And next June we have the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England, with women’s and men’s events being staged in tandem for the first time, including both semi-finals and the final on the same days at the same venues.

“Having the Women’s World Cup take place in Australia is fitting given that the host is the defending champion and has won the title five times, more than any other side.

“And the fact it is under the ICC’s banner is not only a landmark for the sport but is also entirely appropriate as 2009 is the ICC’s centenary,” he added.

Mr Morgan thanked the ICC’s commercial partners for playing a major role in assisting the growth of women’s cricket.

“I have already mentioned ESPN STAR Sports and how it and its licensees will spread the tournament throughout the world but there are also our Global Partners Reliance Communications Limited, PepsiCo and LG Electronics, our Official Partners Emirates Airlines, Reebok and Yahoo and our Local Partner for this event, Events New South Wales.

“These organisations are vital to ensuring the ICC is able to hold an event of this scale and we thank them for their contribution to the game.

“Women’s cricket and the ICC Women’s World Cup will play a major part in ensuring 2009 will be a great year for cricket and a year which will see our strong sport continue to grow stronger,” added Mr Morgan.

(Source: ICC)

ICC Women's World Cup 2009 to be most widely viewed women's cricket event of all time

ICC President David Morgan launched the first ever ICC Women’s World Cup in Sydney and revealed it would be the most widely viewed women’s cricket event of all time.

“At least six of the matches will be shown to a television audience divning more than 100 countries thanks to our Broadcast Partners ESPN STAR Sports and its licensees,” he said, looking ahead to next March’s event that will feature the top eight sides in the world.

“It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best of the best at the pinnacle of the sport and it is the latest stage of what we believe will be the continuing increase in the profile of women’s cricket in the months and years to come.

“There have been other world cups before this – eight in fact and, as the women’s event was first played in 1973, that means it pre-dates the first world cup for men by two years.

“But this event, to be played at six venues over 16 days, is the first to come under the ICC’s banner and it is another brick in the wall of women’s cricket, a wall that will grow taller and taller over time.”

The tournament will feature hosts and holders Australia, as well as England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

Mr Morgan said that in the three years since the ICC took control of the women’s game following its merger with the International Women’s Cricket Council in 2005, significant strides had already been made to take the game forward.

“The number of our Members with some form of organised girls or women’s activities has quadrupled in those three years,” he said.

“We have incorporated the women’s cricketer of the year award into the LG ICC Awards ceremony and two weeks ago in Mumbai we launched the Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s Player Rankings.

“And next June we have the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England, with women’s and men’s events being staged in tandem for the first time, including both semi-finals and the final on the same days at the same venues.

“Having the Women’s World Cup take place in Australia is fitting given that the host is the defending champion and has won the title five times, more than any other side.

“And the fact it is under the ICC’s banner is not only a landmark for the sport but is also entirely appropriate as 2009 is the ICC’s centenary,” he added.

Mr Morgan thanked the ICC’s commercial partners for playing a major role in assisting the growth of women’s cricket.

“I have already mentioned ESPN STAR Sports and how it and its licensees will spread the tournament throughout the world but there are also our Global Partners Reliance Communications Limited, PepsiCo and LG Electronics, our Official Partners Emirates Airlines, Reebok and Yahoo and our Local Partner for this event, Events New South Wales.

“These organisations are vital to ensuring the ICC is able to hold an event of this scale and we thank them for their contribution to the game.

“Women’s cricket and the ICC Women’s World Cup will play a major part in ensuring 2009 will be a great year for cricket and a year which will see our strong sport continue to grow stronger,” added Mr Morgan.

(Source: ICC)

Sri Lanka, Pakistan gear up for much-needed practice

Sri Lanka and Pakistan will join Bangladesh in a triangular series in Bangladesh starting from Friday (tomorrow). The series will not only provide the players with opportunities to make progress in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings but it will also give them the chance to make their final touches to their preparations for next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup to be staged in Australia from 7 to 22 March. In the latest rankings, Sri Lanka have two players in the top 20 – Dedunu Silva and captain Shashikala Sriwardena. Dedunu is in 13th place and Sriwardena is in 15th position. On the bowling front, Pakistan’s Sajjida Shah is the only bowler from either side to be in the top 20. She sits in 15th spot, just behind Nicky Shaw of England and South Africa’s Alicia Smith.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s 2-0 lead in the five-match Rose Bowl Series has helped their players to rise in the latest rankings. New Zealand captain Haidee Tiffen has swapped places with team-mate Sara McGlashen and now sits in 10th place while Amy Satterthwaite has jumped 17 places to 25th. Australia’s Alex Blackwell’s dip by two places has allowed her captain Karen Rolton to rise by a place and England captain Charlotte Edwards by two places. Australia fast bowler Kirsten Pike, who is not part of the squad, and New Zealand seamer Aimee Mason have dropped out of the top 10. Pike has slipped three places to 12th while Mason has dropped two places to 11th.

Pike’s and Mason’s drop has benefitted England fast bowler Katherine Brunt who has returned to the top 10 while Nicola Browne of New Zealand has improved one place to eighth. There is no change in the top all-rounders’ which is still headed by Australia’s Lisa Sthalekar though Rolton has dropped one place to seventh position. With three matches still to be played in the Rose Bowl Series, there are plenty of opportunities for the players to make amends and climb up the rankings. For those who have gained after two matches, extra effort would be required to retain those places or to continue their upward movement. Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in Group B of the ICC Women’s World Cup, which is the first to be staged under the auspices of the ICC since its merger with the International Women’s Cricket Council (IWCC) in 2005. The group also includes losing finalist in 2005 India and two-time former champion England.

Holder Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the West Indies are in Group A. The top three sides in each group will go forward to the Super Six stage where each side then plays the teams which have qualified from the other group. The top two sides from the Super Six go forward to the final.

While Sri Lanka qualified directly for the Australian event by finishing in the top six of the 2005 Women’s World Cup in South Africa, Pakistan and South Africa completed the eight-team line-up by qualifying from the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers which was held in Stellenbosch, South Africa early last year.

The Bangladesh triangular series will be Pakistan’s first outing since the Women’s Asia Cup which was held in Sri Lanka in May while their home series against the West Indies in October was cancelled due to safety and security reasons. In sharp contrast, Sri Lanka last played ODIs in November when they hosted the West Indies and won the series 3-2.

The matches between Sri Lanka and Pakistan will have ODI status as the two sides are in the top 10 of women’s cricket. Apart from the eight teams that will be involved in the ICC Women’s World Cup, Ireland and the Netherlands also have ODI status.

Tri-series fixtures:

6 Feb – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Shaheed Chandu Stadium, Bogra

7 Feb – Pakistan v Sri Lanka (ODI), Shaheed Chandu Stadium, Bogra

9 Feb – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Shaheed Chandu Stadium, Bogra

12 Feb – Pakistan v Sri Lanka (ODI), Khulna Divisional Stadium

13 Feb – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Khulna Division

14 Feb – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Khulna Stadium

17 Feb – Final, Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

Remaining matches in the Rose Bowl Series

6 Feb – New Zealand v Australia Zealand (ODI), Seddon Park, Hamilton

8 Feb – New Zealand v Australia (ODI), Seddon Park, Hamilton

12 Feb – New Zealand v Australia (ODI), Basin Reserve, Wellington.
Source: Daily Times, Pakistan

Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship All-Rounder Rankings

1 503 L.C. Sthalekar 514 v India, 08/11/2008
2 431 S. Nitschke 431 v New Zealand, 08/02/2009
3 355 N.J. Browne 383 v England, 25/02/2008
4 275 A.L. Mason 342 v England, 26/08/2007
5 270 J.L. Gunn 353 v Australia, 03/02/2008

Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship Bowling Rankings

1 719 I.T. Guha 740 v India, 01/09/2008
2 677 S. Nitschke 681 v New Zealand, 06/02/2009
3 667 J. Goswami 797 v England, 28/02/2007
4 663 L.C. Sthalekar 674 v New Zealand, 06/02/2009
5 651 E.M. Sampson 666 v New Zealand, 01/02/2009
6 619 H.L. Colvin 632 v India, 07/09/2008
7 592 J.L. Gunn 672 v Australia, 04/02/2008
8 567 N.J. Browne 648 v England, 30/08/2007
9 565 R. Dhar 609 v Sri Lanka, 03/05/2008
10 545 K.H. Brunt 560 v India, 04/09/2008
11 503 K.E. Pike 567 v New Zealand, 08/03/2008
12 502 N.J. Shaw 517 v India, 04/09/2008
13 498 A.L. Mason 586 v Australia, 29/07/2007
14 493 A.E. Smith 536 v Ireland, 31/07/2008
15 483 A.P.C. Kilowan 483 v England, 14/08/2008
16 475 E.A. Perry 491 v India, 08/11/2008
17 472 Sajida Shah 499 v Holland, 22/02/2008
18 471 H.A.S.D. Siriwardena 471 v Pakistan, 17/02/2009
19 470 A. Sharma 650 v Pakistan, 30/12/2005
20 456 N. David 794 v New Zealand, 30/03/2005

Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Championship Batting Rankings

The current top 20 ODI batsmen are listed below-

ID Rat. Name Career Best Rating
1 804 S.C. Taylor 820 v New Zealand, 26/08/2007
2 759 L.C. Sthalekar 804 v India, 05/11/2008
3 722 M. Raj 841 v Australia, 24/12/2004
4 698 S.J. Taylor 705 v India, 04/09/2008
5 661 A.J. Blackwell 692 v India, 09/11/2008
6 654 C.M. Edwards 691 v South Africa, 30/03/2005
7 651 K.L. Rolton 873 v India, 19/12/2004
8 636 S. Nitschke 636 v New Zealand, 08/02/2009
9 626 N.J. Browne 653 v Australia, 16/03/2008
10 563 H.M. Tiffen 750 v India, 13/03/2006
11 552 A.L. Mason 624 v England, 26/08/2007
12 524 S.J. McGlashen 581 v England, 23/08/2007
13 521 L.D.V.V. Silva 524 v Pakistan, 07/02/2009
14 488 H.A.S.D. Siriwardena 500 v Pakistan, 11/02/2009
15 483 L.S. Greenway 503 v Australia, 11/02/2008
16 465 C. Brits 530 v Holland, 21/02/2008
17 463 C.M.G. Atkins 471 v India, 01/09/2008
18 456 J.L. Gunn 527 v Australia, 03/02/2008
19 453 S.J. Tsukigawa 456 v Australia, 08/03/2008
20 443 J. Sharma 665 v Australia, 19/12/2004

Sri Lanka aims to improve its world ranking

Captain Shashikala Siriwardena says her team has overcome batting weaknesses and can make it into the top four

Sri Lanka has overcome the chronic batting weaknesses that have plagued the team in recent years, according to the team’s captain and the team has set the target of improving on the its current world ranking of number six at next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 to be staged in Australia from 7 to 22 March.

Sri Lanka lost to England by nine wickets in the quarter-final of its World Cup debut in India in 1997 but finished sixth in the 2000 and 2005 events in New Zealand and South Africa, respectively.

In the three World Cups, Sri Lanka has played 17 matches and has reached triple figures only seven times – 104 against England (1997), 129 against Ireland, 134 against South Africa, 139 against the Netherlands, 137-9 against England (all in 2000), and 152 against the West Indies and 158 against South Africa (both in 2005).

And Sri Lanka’s three lowest World Cup totals were four years ago – 57 against Australia, 58 against New Zealand and 70 against England.

Captain Shashikala Siriwardena, who played in the 2005 World Cup, says her team has worked extremely hard on its batting which has made the team better prepared than ever before. “Our batting let us down in the previous three events but we have worked extremely hard this time.

“We have attended extra batting sessions and concentrated hard in all the matches in the lead-up to the World Cup, be it the Asia Cup, home series against the West Indies or the triangular series in Bangladesh,” the 24-year-old all-rounder from Colombo said.

In World Cups, Sri Lanka averages 116.33 while batting first but the average drops further to just 88.62 when it is chasing targets. However, the last 13 matches, Sri Lanka has averaged 185 in the first innings and 155 in the second innings, statistics which seem to back up Siriwardena’s view that things are on the up.

“We have to put method in our batting and try to make optimum use of the 50 overs that will be at our disposal if we’re making first use of the wicket. If we are chasing targets, we will need to keep cool heads on our shoulders and avoid creating a panic if a few overs fail to produce runs.

“Of course, good running between the wickets will also help our cause as in the past we have thrown matches away due to needless run-outs.

“PowerPlays are not new to us as we have tried them in the last three series and have found the concept very exciting. But you have to be intelligent when batting in PowerPlays. Also, you need to be tactical before calling for your batting PowerPlay so that you use the field restrictions to your advantage.

“Our target is to improve our current ranking and finish in the top four which would not only allow us to automatically qualify for the 2013 World Cup in India but would also help us prove that women’s cricket in Sri Lanka is getting stronger,” said the veteran of 40 ODIs.

The top four teams from the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 will automatically qualify for the 2013 event to be staged in India while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will earn direct spots in the 10-team ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2011 where they will be joined by eight other sides – two each from Africa and Europe, and one each from Americas and East Asia-Pacific regions – who will qualify from their own regional qualifying tournaments.

Siriwardena said women’s cricket in Sri Lanka was in a very important phase at the moment and it was imperative for her side to give a good account of itself in Australia. “In Australia, some of the players will be appearing for Sri Lanka for the last time and surely they want to sign off on a high and leave women’s cricket in Sri Lanka in a take-off position so that the next generation can take it to the next level.

“It is an important phase for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka and it’s very important for us to show what we capable of and give a good account of ourselves.

“We have a good blend of youth and experience, and the team is in very high spirits. The mood in the camp is heart-warming as everyone is looking forward to play its part in the success of the team.”

Sri Lanka is pooled with two-time former champion England and south Asian rivals India and Pakistan in Group B. Sri Lanka has never beaten England or India but it has never lost to Pakistan. “I think we are good enough to play in the Super Six stage and a much better side than the results reflect.

“But if we have set our target to finish in the top four, then we have to win more than one match in the first round and at least a couple of matches in the Super Six stage.

“If we win two matches in the first round, we will take carry-over points in the Super Six stage which will play a crucial role in our final standing.

“We have played a number of matches against India and Pakistan and know their strengths and weaknesses and what we need to do to beat them. We have never beaten India but at least we know what we need to do to overpower them. It is all about executing the game plan.

“We haven’t played England since our match with them in the 2005 World Cup (England won by 214 runs) and that makes our tournament opener a challenging one. There is always a first time and I hope Australia is the place where break our win drought against these two powerhouses of women’s cricket.”

According to Siriwardena, Sri Lanka could be the surprise package of the tournament while England is the tournament favourite. “We have the talent to beat to best. We will not be short of any motivation or confidence. In Australia, we will try to translate the talent into winning performances.

“I have a lot of respect for the England team for the way it has played in the last couple of years. The players have got better with every match and you can see the difference in their attitude and approach and lot of it has to do with the way Charlotte Edwards has transformed her side.

“I am a big fan of Charlotte and I will be looking forward to seeing her in Australia. I want to learn a lot from her about captaincy, batting, preparing the side for any series and how to approach and react in various situations.

“Cricket is all about sharing knowledge and experience. I think we should be grateful to the ICC for providing us such a fantastic platform from where we can only become better sportspersons,” said Siriwardena.

Sri Lanka has two warm-up matches in the lead up to the main tournament. On Tuesday 3 March, it will play New South Wales at Old Kings and will face Australia on Wednesday 4 March at Manly.

Sri Lanka squad – Shashikala Siriwardena (captain), Chamani Seneviratne (vice-captain), Suwini de Alwis, Hiruka Fernando, Rose Fernando, Inoka Galagedara, Gayathri Kariyawasam, Eshani Lokusooriya, Dilani Manodara, Chamari Polgampola, Udeshika Prabodani, Deepika Rasangika, Dedunu de Silva, Sripali Weerakkody, Chandi Wickremasinghe.
ICC Media Release
Monday, February 23, 2009 1:33:29 PM

Female sporting heroes join forces to inspire stars of the future

They’re skilled, smart, sassy and with the help of the Layne Beachley Aim For The Stars Foundation, a new breed of female sports heroes will have their names on the lips of the nation this season.

In a show of camaraderie for women in sport, Australia’s top female cricket and surfing champions will battle it out in a beach cricket match to celebrate the ICC Women’s World Cup which kicks off in March as well as surfing’s ASP Women’s World Tour at the Roxy Pro on Saturday.

The event is designed to celebrate up-and-coming Australian female sports stars and inspire girls and women across the country to dream and achieve. Teams will include representatives from the Southern Stars and the ASP Women’s World Tour with world surfing veteran Matt Hoy as umpire.

Southern Stars Cricketers
• Ellyse Perry
• Alex Blackwell
• Delissa Kimmince
• Sarah Andrews

ASP Women’s World Tour Surfers
• Layne Beachley
• Steph Gilmore
• Jessi Miley-Dyer
• Sally Fitzgibbons

Promoting women in sport and supporting the dreams of Australian girls is a cause close to the heart of seven time ASP Women’s World Champion Layne Beachley.

In 2003, Beachley established the Aim for the Stars Foundation, “encompassing academic, sport, cultural and community pursuits, my foundation offers ambitious and dedicated females an opportunity to receive financial and moral support to help them achieve their goals,” said Beachley, “ it is important that women sports support one another and what better way than to play some beach cricket, look out Southern Stars!”

Delissa Kimmince, Australia cricketer and Female Development Officer at Queensland Cricket knows first-hand how inspiration and determination can see young women achieve great things.

“I grew up in a country town near Brisbane and at 12 I was selected as a shadow player for Darling Downs – but there wasn’t a girls team, so I couldn’t play or go away with them! But I tell the girls in my development squad if you work hard and wear a smile anything is possible. And now I’m representing my country at the Women’s World Cup. It’s a dream come true,” she said.

The ICC Women’s World Cup involves the world’s top 8 ranked teams, being Australia, India, New Zealand, England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Pakistan. .
ICC News
Monday, February 23, 2009 3:53:21 PM

Edwards says England fresh and ready despite being short of match practice

ICC Women’s Player of the Year says event format guarantees best sides reach the final 

Batter says Australia will be the team to beat and picks the West Indies as the surprise package 

England captain Charlotte Edwards believes peaking at the right time and the key players firing consistently will be the keys to success in the ICC Women’s World Cup to be staged in Australia from 7 to 22 March.

England, champion in 1973 and 1993 on home turf, is pooled with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Group B and launches its assault on the trophy on 7 March when it takes on Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval, Canberra. 

Group A is made up of defending champion Australia, New Zealand, West Indies and South Africa. The top three sides in each group will go forward to the Super Six stage where each side then plays the teams which have qualified from the other group. The top two sides from the Super Six go forward to the final. 

The ICC Women’s Player of the Year of 2008 was also of the view that next month’s tournament would be the toughest yet with the format also guaranteeing that only the two best teams in the world would qualify for the final. 

“The World Cup is all about peaking at the right time and dealing with the pressure of big matches. I think the four pre-tournament favourites (England, Australia, India and New Zealand) are equal in strength which brings it down to the fact that the difference between winning and losing will be whose key players excel on match days,” said the 29-year-old Edwards who has scored 3,520 runs in 117 ODIs. 

“I think all the (four) teams have an equal chance (of winning) so it’s a case of building some momentum going into the Super Six stage. The event has been structured in such a way that every match is a semi-final which makes it very exciting and tough, and guarantees that only the two best teams go through to the final. 

“I think this is going to be the closest World Cup in a number of years,” she said. 

A polite and soft-spoken Edwards, who first represented England at the age of 16 against New Zealand at Guildford, considers five-time champion Australia as the tournament favourite and West Indies as the team capable of springing surprises. 

“It’s obviously nice to be spoken as favourites but I think Australia is the favourite, especially because it will be playing on home turf. Australia has dominated international cricket for the past 10 years and being on home soil it is the team to beat. 

“I also think the West Indies will be the surprise package of the World Cup. We played them in the summer and I was really impressed with them, especially with their bowling and fielding.” 

Edwards said her team would try to control the controllable and avoid being complacent. “All the teams will be in Australia to win and we will be no different. We will have to concentrate, stay focused and try to control only what we can control. 

“We have got a good mix of youth and experience as have New Zealand and Australia. It will be whose key players perform on match days. Any team can win this World Cup so it is a case of not being complacent. 

“One of our players to watch in the World Cup will be wicketkeeper/batter Sarah Taylor. She is an incredible talent while I am also delighted to see Katherine Brunt back in the squad. She has recovered nicely from a serious back injury and is bowling as well as I have seen her,” Edwards said. 

The England captain admitted her team was short of match practice with her last ODI series being against India in September last year. But she stressed that her team would arrive in Sydney fresh and ready. “You can’t beat playing international cricket. 

“But on the other side of the coin, half of our squad is playing club cricket in Sydney and getting use to the conditions while those who were in England travelled to India for a training camp and attended lots of training sessions. 

“We’ll definitely arrive in Sydney fresh and ready to go.” 

When Edwards arrives in Sydney, she will be doing so as the ICC Women’s Player of the Year of 2008, the England captain, the fourth leading run-getter in World Cup history and the most experienced England player. But the Kent captain said she would not feel any of the additional pressures that come from being so high profile. 

“There is always pressure whenever you put on an England shirt but it is something I relish and love doing. But I won’t be carrying any extra burdens on my shoulders. 

“Ultimately I have to concentrate on scoring runs and captaining the side and I am very lucky to have a wonderful management team around me that allows me to do that. 

“I consider myself very fortunate to have been selected for the fourth World Cup. World Cup is a very special event, the one where you test yourself against the best in the world. I’m very fortunate to be playing in my fourth World Cup and all have been great experiences. 

“The World Cup, I think, is all about winning as it is the ultimate prize in women’s cricket and the goal that I have set for myself in this tournament is to contribute to a winning England team. 

“Any World Cup is special but I have to say that this World Cup under the auspices of the ICC will be the most exciting one yet, with the extra media coverage hopefully making it even more memorable. 

“World Cups are always exciting and challenging and combining that with all the different cultures and backgrounds, it does make it the ultimate prize. 

“It excites me to know ESPN STAR Sports will be showing live all the seven matches from the North Sydney Oval. To get this kind of coverage is unprecedented and great news for the growth of the game. 

“I am confident that the profile of women’s cricket will jump to a new level with this extra media coverage and attention which will encourage more women and girls to take up this glorious sport.” 

Edwards said he was satisfied with ICC’s initiatives to promote and develop women’s cricket. “I think everything is being done to promote the game by the ICC and I know all the players appreciate everything that is being done. It’s really exciting times ahead.” 

The ICC launched the Reliance Mobile ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings in October last year in Mumbai while later this June, all the eight sides that will assemble in Australia will be involved in the ICC World Twenty20 alongside the men’s event with the second semi-final and the final to be played ahead of the men’s semi-final and the final. 

England has two warm-up matches in a lead up to the main tournament. On Monday 2 March, it will play Australia at Village Green and will face the West Indies on Wednesday 4 March at Raby 1. 

England squad - Charlotte Edwards (captain), Caroline Atkins, Katherine Brunt, Holly Colvin, Lydia Greenway, Lauren Griffiths, Isa Guha, Jenny Gunn, Laura Marsh, Beth Morgan, Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent, Nicola Shaw, Anya Shrubsole, Claire Taylor, Sarah Taylor.

ICC Media Release
Sunday, February 22, 2009 1:13:20 PM

Match officials announced for ICC Women's World Cup 2009

The ICC today announced the match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 in Australia, which runs from 7 to 22 March. 

Brian Aldridge and David Jukes will be the match referees for the 16-day tournament while the on-field umpires will be split between appointments from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, the Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires, the ICC Associate and Affiliate International Umpires’ Panel, East Asia-Pacific Regional Panel and domestic panel umpires from Australia and New Zealand. 

Steve Davis will represent the elite panel while those from other panels are Tony Hill and Brian Jerling (both from the international panel), Shahul Hameed and Sarika Prasaad (both from the Associate and Affiliate panel), Lakani Oala and Neil Harrison (both from the East Asia-Pacific panel), Jeff Brookes, Andrew Craig, Tony Ward, Mick Martell (all members of Australia National Panel) and Gerard Abood (an Australian first-class umpire). 

The 13-member umpires’ panel also includes female umpire Kathy Cross who is a member of New Zealand’s Regional Panel. Cross also stood in two matches of the quadrangular World Series of Women’s Cricket tournament staged in New Zealand from 26 January to 8 February 2003. Australia won the tournament when it defeated New Zealand in the final by 109 runs while India finished third and England fourth. 

“The panel consists of many up-and-coming umpires who are being given a wonderful opportunity to officiate and gain experience in a World Cup event, alongside Steve Davis of the Elite Panel and Tony Hill and Brian Jerling of the international panel,” said Vince van der Bijl, ICC Umpires’ and Referees’ Manager. 

“The other exciting news is that Kathy Cross will become the first woman to officiate in a World Cup event, which is yet another huge boost to women’s cricket. 

“The panel has been chosen predominantly from the Australia-New Zealand Pacific Region. The ICC Umpires’ Manager, Doug Cowie has appointed Bob Stratford, the ICC Regional Umpire Performance Manager, who with Davis, Hill and Jerling will also mentor and coach the exciting up and coming talent, during the tournament,” he said. 

Individual match appointments will be made in due course. 

The tournament in Australia will see the world’s top eight teams – holders Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – compete at six venues across New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory in 16 days from 7 to 22 March. 

The format of the event involves the teams being divided into two groups. Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies and South Africa are in Group A while India, England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in Group B. 

The top three sides in each group will go forward to the Super Six stage where each side then plays the teams which have qualified from the other group. The top two sides from the Super Six go forward to the final. 

The top four teams will qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 to be staged in India while the fifth and sixth-place teams will go into the 10-team ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2011 where they will be joined by eight other sides (two each from Africa and Europe and one each from the Americas and East Asia-Pacific Region) which will qualify from their regional qualifying tournaments. 

ESPN STAR Sports, the ICC’s broadcast partner, will cover all seven matches that will take place at North Sydney Oval, including the final. This will ensure that the event will be the most widely viewed to date, with the coverage to be aired in more than 100 countries. 

Match Referees: Brian Aldridge and David Jukes. 

Umpires: Tony Hill, Lakani Oala, Shahul Hameed, Kathy Cross, Neil Harrison, Sarika Prasaad, Brian Jerling, Steve Davis, Jeff Brookes, Andrew Craig, Tony Ward, Mick Martell, Gerard Abood.

ICC Media Release
Sunday, February 22, 2009 10:13:00 AM

Tiffen hungry for more World Cup success

New Zealand captain says it’s difficult to predict a winner as all top four teams have an even chance 

She says ESPN STAR Sports’ involvement reflects the growth of women’s cricket and feels privileged to be part of that development process 

Haidee Tiffen believes her team is well prepared for next month’s ICC Women’s World Cup and has vowed not to leave any stone unturned in an effort to emulate the achievement of Emily Drumm’s side which won New Zealand’s only World Cup nine years ago. 

Tiffen was a member of Drumm’s side as a 20-year-old all-rounder and contributed 187 runs with the bat and took eight wickets with the ball in New Zealand’s historic campaign. She was also in the 2005 World Cup side which narrowly missed out on a place in the final to India but she had a modest tournament with the wood scoring just 89 runs at an average of 17.80. 

At 29, Haidee is New Zealand’s second most experienced player ever after Debbie Hockley (118 ODIs) with 111 caps and its third most successful batter after Hockley (4,064 runs) and Drumm (2,844) with 2,640 runs. 

“The victory in the 2000 World Cup is very special to me and is very close to my heart. It was a privilege to be part of that extremely talented side. Now we again have a world-class side which has all the credentials to regain the World Cup,” the captain said. 

“It is difficult and unfair to compare the two sides. That side was amazing and had world-class players in Catherine Campbell, Drumm, Hockley, Rebecca Rolls, Anna Smith, Katrina Keenan, Kathryn Ramel and others while in the present team we have outstanding young talent in Amy Satterthwaite, Nicola Browne, Suzie Bates, Beth McNeill, Aimee Mason and others. 

“Like any other player in the side, it’s my dream and wish to win the World Cup again. But for any dream to come true, it requires tremendous hard work and commitment which we have put in over the last couple of years. 

“It is any sportsperson’s dream to be crowned as world champion. I know how it feels and would love to taste it again also because I am now the captain,” said Tiffen. 

The New Zealand captain said the Rose Bowl Series against Australia (which Australia retained after the series decider was washed out) provided her team with an excellent opportunity to prepare for the World Cup. “It was an excellent opportunity to play against the world’s best side just before the World Cup. We can draw a lot of positives from that series, keep improving and learn to be more consistent. 

“One of the positives from the series was that we reshuffled our batting order in almost every match to provide a chance to each player to take the responsibility and show what she has to offer. I am glad that every player rose to the occasion and performed which gives me the confidence that our batting not only has depth but is very flexible with every player capable of batting at any position and in any situation. 

“Our bowling is decent and has shown it can not only contain batters but can also pick up wickets at regular intervals. However, we have to be more intelligent while bowling in PowerPlays and have to try to be as straight as possible. 

“We also need to be a bit more consistent as victory is always nice and gives you the much required confidence. Such is the format of the tournament that if you are not consistent, you could be knocked out with one defeat. It is going to be a very tough tournament and consistency will be the key to success,” she said. 

Tiffen said New Zealand’s tournament opener against Australia was crucial. “It is a very important match not only from a psychological point of view but also because of the carry-over points that the teams take to the Super Six stage. 

“We have a couple of warm-up matches in the lead up to the tournament opener in which we will try to give final shape to our side so that we are best prepared for the match against Australia. 

“South Africa and the West Indies are the other sides in our pool and though we haven’t played them in the recent past, it would be a fair comment to say we should qualify for the Super Six stage. 

“In any tournament, you want to be in the best position and this tournament is no different as we would like to go in the Super Six stage with maximum carry-over points. 

“But the task will not be easy as Australia is a tough team to beat and with the event being staged in its backyard, it definitely has an edge over its main rivals. I have been part of the team that won the tournament on its home turf and know what home advantage can do to your confidence and can bring the best out of you. 

“I think Australia, New Zealand, England and India are of equal strength and any team can beat the other on its day. It is an open tournament with no clear-cut favourites. It boils down to the fact that the team which plays better on the match day will walk away winner.” 

Tiffen, while comparing the previous two World Cups with next month’s event, said: “The previous two tournaments I have been involved with were outstanding events. But this is going to be special as it will be held under the auspices of the ICC and will not be held again until 2013. With Australia being the host country, it is certainly going to be one of the most exciting events. 

“With ICC taking the ownership of the Women’s World Cup, it will certainly generate more media interest, already evident from the fact that seven matches will be covered live by ESPN STAR Sports. This reflects the growth and development of women’s cricket and I feel privileged to be part of that development process.” 

New Zealand will play two warm-up matches in a lead up to the World Cup. The former champion faces Pakistan at Manly on Tuesday 3 March and then takes on India at Old Kings on Wednesday 4 March. 

NEW ZEALAND – Haidee Tiffen (captain), Aimee Mason (vice-captain), Suzie Bates, Nicola Browne, Abby Burrows, Sophie Devine, Lucy Doolan, Sara McGlashan, Beth McNeill, Katey Martin, Rachel Priest, Kate Pulford, Amy Satterthwaite, Sarah Tsukigawa.

ICC Media Release
Friday, February 20, 2009 1:58:53 PM

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UROOJ MUMTAZ

STACY ANN KING

SHASHIKALA SIRIWARDENE

SARAH TAYLOR

MITHALI RAJ

LISA STHALEKAR

JHULAN GOSWAMI

ISA GUHA

AIMEE MASON

Cri-Zelda Brits