New Zealand Women Prepare for Cricket World Cup

With just five months until the opening match of the CricInfo Women's World Cup the New Zealand squad is halfway through its preparation programme.

A training squad of 19 players has attended three weekend camps at New Zealand Cricket's High Performance Centre at Lincoln University. There are three further camps which will take place 14-16 July, 18-20 August, and 22-24 September.

New Zealand team coach, Mike Shrimpton, said: "At this stage we are working on individual fitness levels, cricket skills, and team tactics. We have three more camps to complete and will then play a number of one day matches against various Canterbury-based men's teams on the Sundays throughout September.

"Two 50-over trial matches will be played between Possible and Probable sides in Christchurch on 28 and 29 October. The squad will then be reduced to a final 14 players to be named on 31 October.

"This is our best opportunity to win a World Cup. The advantage of playing at home with familiar pitch and climate conditions and with hometown support cannot be underestimated. We are some way out from the tournament but the whole squad is clearly focused on claiming New Zealand's first cricket world cup," Shrimpton said.

The opening match of the CricInfo Women's World Cup is a top-of-the-table clash between the host nation New Zealand and the current world champions, Australia. The 50-over match will be played at the BIL Oval, Lincoln University on Wednesday 29 November.