Isa Guha (England)

Speaking after the Sri Lanka World Cup group match:

We were happy to get our campaign off with a win, although we were a little bit disappointed by the level of our performance against Sri Lanka on Saturday.
We scored 277-5 but we would have liked to have got more runs on the board, and we expected to bowl Sri Lanka out.

However, we cannot deny that we are happy with a convincing win to start the tournament and we are all thrilled for Claire Taylor that she scored a hundred.

It is the third consecutive World Cup that she has scored a hundred against Sri Lanka and her achievement is testament to her long-term dedication to making herself one of the best players in the world.

There were also some good performances by Sarah Taylor and Caroline Atkins, who bat really well together at the top of the order, and provide a platform for the rest of the team to go on and make runs.

I was quite impressed by the spirit and determination shown by the Sri Lankan team and really enjoyed playing against them. I haven’t seen very much of them before and hopefully we may have the opportunity to play a bilateral series against them in the future.

We will travel back to Sydney from Canberra tomorrow before having an intensive day of training on Monday ahead of the India game on Tuesday.

I am not surprised by the quality of India’s performances since they arrived in Australia, both in the warm-up matches and in their comprehensive victory over Pakistan.

It seems that they have gone back to India and worked very hard after their defeat to Australia and England last year and we know we are going to have to play well to beat them.

I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to bowl again at Anjum Chopra, who is one of the greats of the game, and who seems to be in excellent form at present.

Playing at the World Cup is about challenging yourself to compete against the best players in the world and I am excited about the contest.

Australia Succumb To New Zealand

New Zealand: 205/10 (H Tiffin 57, A Satterthwaite 38)

Australia: 132/6 (J Fields 26*)

New Zealand were left singing in the rain at the North Sydney Oval after overcoming Australia in their opening World Cup match.

The White Ferns triumphed by 13 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method after bad weather finally forced the players off the field for the final time.

Australia were at that stage on 132 for six in the 33rd over chasing a target of 206 in the battle of the trans-Tasman rivals.

Jodie Fields (26 not out) and Ellyse Perry, who was unbeaten on 17, appeared to be setting the game up for a thrilling finish with an unbroken partnership of 32.

Opener Shelley Nitschke had given five-time winners Australia a good start in their run chase, hitting two fours and a six before falling for 27.

Skipper Karen Rolton also managed a maximum, as well as three boundaries in her 21 before becoming the second of three wickets for Kate Pulford.

Jessica Cameron (15) also got going before getting out, and the constant loss of wickets proved crucial for the hosts in the final reckoning.

New Zealand’s total of 205 had been built on a solid half century from right-handed opener Haidee Tiffen.

The 29-year-old faced 113 balls to compile 57, sharing a third-wicket partnership of 67 with Amy Satterthwaite, who made 38.

Suzie Bates and Sara McGlashan both contributed 29 but from 171 for three the innings fell away badly, the last seven wickets going down for 34 runs.

Although expensive, Perry picked up three for 40 in her six overs while there were two wickets apiece from the off spin of Erin Osborne and Lisa Sthalekar.

Australia’s victory hopes were hit throughout by rain and the reigning champions will hope to get their Group B campaign back on track when they face South Africa in Newcastle on Tuesday.

England Win on opening day of World Cup

England: 277/5 (SC Taylor 101, C Atkins 50, L Greenway 32*)

Sri Lanka: 177/7 (S de Alwis 37)

Claire Taylor showed why she is the number one batter in the world with a brilliant century as England defeated Sri Lanka by 100 runs at Canberra on the opening day of the ICC Women’s World Cup.

33-year-old Taylor scored her eighth ODI century as England posted an impressive 277-5 before restricting Sri Lanka to 177-7.

Remarkably it was her third consecutive World Cup hundred against Sri Lanka having scored 137 not out in 2000, her first ODI hundred, and 136 in 2005.

After being put into bat, Caroline Atkins and Sarah Taylor got England off to a solid start, putting on an opening stand of 80 before Taylor (38) fell to the Sri Lankan skipper Shashikala Siriwardena.

Atkins (50) then added 72 with Taylor, who looked in exceptional form, before she fell with the score on 152.

Taylor then received excellent support from England skipper Charlotte Edwards (27 off 27 balls) and Lydia Greenway (32 not out off 45 balls), before completing her century.

Shortly afterwards she was dismissed by Eshani Lokusooriya for 101, off only 95 balls, with 10 boundaries during her superb innings, as England closed on 277-5.

Sri Lanka’s opening pair of Dedunu de Silva and Chamari Polgampola started solidly in reply, putting on 48 for the first wicket, but a combination of poor running between the wickets and good bowling from England’s attack soon had it in trouble as it collapsed to 63-3

Suwini de Alwis (37) and Hiruka Fernando (26) both threatened to make big scores, but got out at crucial stages, and in the end Sri Lanka was left to bat out the overs.

22-year-old Laura Marsh was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-32, with left-arm spinner Holly Colvin also claiming one wicket.

Sri Lanka now faces Pakistan on Monday, while England takes on India at North Sydney Oval on Tuesday.

Lauren Griffiths earns World Cup call

Griffiths plays for Cheshire and was part of this summer’s academy squad. She will provide cover for No.1 wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor and replaces Lynsey Askew.

“Playing for England has always been something I’ve dreamt of and it’s a great honour to be selected in the squad, especially for a World Cup,” Griffiths said. “I’m out in Australia already playing cricket and training in Victoria for the winter in preparation for the tournament.

“I was so surprised to be included in the squad, but it’s a great opportunity and I’m really looking forward to touring with this set of players.”

England are one of the favourites for the World Cup having won 12 out of their last 16 ODIs with the other four washed out. During the recent home season they beat West Indies, South Africa and India with impressive ease.

Captain Charlotte Edwards was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Year earlier this month and is excited about the challenge in Australia, which will be followed by the first Women’s World Twenty20 in England next June

“We’ve got a great blend of youth and experience going to the World Cup in Australia and we’ll be looking to continue our success of 2008,” Edwards said. “It won’t be easy, but we’re well prepared and know what we have to do to ensure we’re all performing at our optimum when we arrive in February.”

Mark Lane, the head coach, said that the World Cup has been a major target for the team. “All our focus this year has been on the World Cup and the World Twenty20 – everything we have done over the past twelve months has been for these two global tournaments.

“It will be a tough but exciting competition as the standard of women’s cricket is continually improving and there are four or five teams who on their day could all become world champions.”

Squad Charlotte Edwards (capt),Caroline Atkins, Katherine Brunt, Holly Colvin, Lydia Greenway, Lauren Griffiths, Isa Guha, Jenny Gunn, Laura Marsh, Beth Morgan, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Nicky Shaw, Anya Shrubsole, Claire Taylor, Sarah Taylor

Australia Announce Dates For 2009 World Cup

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket Australia (CA) announced the match schedule and venues for the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup today, with Sydney, Canberra, and regional NSW to host the top eight nations in women’s cricket next March.

The 25-match tournament will be played at six venues in Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Bowral from 7-22 March. 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.

“It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket in Australia, with the recent announcement of increased support for our elite players and CA’s Females in Cricket Strategy helping to engage more females across all levels of the game.”

Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars captain, Karen Rolton, who scored a match-winning 107 not out in the 2005 World Cup final to help Australia to victory, said the players can’t wait to defend their crown on home soil.

“The players are excited at the chance to play at home. The quality of cricket has improved a lot since the last World Cup and there are a number of teams now that will be a serious threat next March,” she said.

“There have been a lot of changes on and off the field over the past two years, with new players and coaches coming into the group. However I know the girls are training hard to make sure we’re as ready as possible to defend the World Cup.”

New Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars coach, Richard McInnes, who only started in the role on Tuesday, is aware of the challenges that await his team.

“Even though we’re the defending champions, there are only a handful of players remaining in the squad from the last World Cup, so we’re starting from a low experience level in this type of cricket,” he said.

“The fact the standard of cricket has improved worldwide over the last three or four years in terms of professionalism and performance means that we will have to lift accordingly to be successful.

“The teams that reach the final will play seven matches in 16 days, so it will be vitally important we prepare well. We’ve got series against India and New Zealand in the lead-up to make sure we enter the tournament ready for our title defence.”

Next year’s World Cup will be the first played under the auspices of the ICC and the ninth overall. Australia is the defending champion and have claimed women’s cricket’s ultimate prize on five occasions, including a 1988 victory in Melbourne.

Cricket New South Wales won the right to host the ICC Women’s World Cup after a tender process last year.

ICC Women’s World Cup Match Schedule

Group A – Group B
Australia – India
New Zealand – England
West Indies – Sri Lanka
South Africa – Pakistan

# – Stage: Date Team 1 v Team 2 Venue

1 – B: Sat 7 Mar India v Pakistan Bowral
2 – B: Sat 7 Mar England v Sri Lanka Canberra
3 – A: Sun 8 Mar Australia v New Zealand North Sydney
4 – A: Sun 8 Mar West Indies v South Africa Newcastle
5 – B: Mon 9 Mar Sri Lanka v Pakistan Canberra
6 – B: Tue 10 Mar India v England North Sydney
7 – A: Tue 10 Mar New Zealand v West Indies Bankstown
8 – A: Tue 10 Mar Australia v South Africa Newcastle
9 – B: Thu 12 Mar England v Pakistan North Sydney
10 – B: Thu 12 Mar India v Sri Lanka Bankstown
11 – A: Thu 12 Mar Australia v West Indies Drummoyne
12 – A: Thu 12 Mar New Zealand v South Africa Bowral
13 – 7th Place: Sat 14 Mar 4th Group A v 4th Group B North Sydney *
14 – Super 6: Sat 14 Mar Australia v India North Sydney
15 – Super 6: Sat 14 Mar New Zealand v England Bankstown
16 – Super 6: Sat 14 Mar West Indies v Sri Lanka Drummoyne
17 – Super 6: Mon 16 Mar Australia v Sri Lanka Bankstown
18 – Super 6: Tue 17 Mar New Zealand v India North Sydney
19 – Super 6: Tue 17 Mar West Indies v England Drummoyne
20 – Super 6: Thu 19 Mar Australia v England North Sydney
21 – Super 6: Thu 19 Mar West Indies v India Bankstown
22 – Super 6: Thu 19 Mar New Zealand v Sri Lanka Drummoyne
23 – 3rd Place: Sat 21 Mar 3rd v 4th Bankstown
24 – 5th Place: Sat 21 Mar 5th v 6th Drummoyne
25 – Final: Sun 22 Mar 1st v 2nd North Sydney

Note: Provided they qualify, the top three-ranked teams in each Group will retain their classification through to the Super Sixes stage, regardless of their finishing position. If the fourth-ranked teams in each Group (Pakistan and South Africa) qualify for the Super Sixes stage, they will assume the classification of the team they replace. For example, if South Africa qualifies at the expense of West Indies, it will follow the fixtures for the West Indies.
* North Sydney Oval No.2

Venues
North Sydney – North Sydney Oval
Newcastle – No.1 Sports Ground
Bankstown – Bankstown Oval
Bowral – Bradman Oval
Drummoyne – Drummoyne Oval
Canberra – Manuka Oval

Australia women’s cricket team celebrates six months until ICC Women’s World Cup

Members of the Australia women’s cricket team have celebrated six months until its quest for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009 by taking to the Sydney Tower’s Skywalk attraction.

With the ICC Women’s World Cup starting on 7 March 2009, Lisa Sthalekar, Leah Poulton and twins Kate and Alex Blackwell enjoyed Sydney’s best view but it will be the summit of a different climb they set their sights on next year when they look to reach the pinnacle of the cricket world.

Sthalekar said she is looking forward to the atmosphere around Sydney during the ICC Women’s World Cup.

“We’re really looking forward to playing in the tournament and showcasing to Australia and the rest of the world what women’s cricket has to offer,” she said.

“Visitors who come to Australia for the World Cup are guaranteed not only an unforgettable experience at the tournament, but the host cities as well.

“I can’t wait to get out there and play in front of a home crowd. There is nothing better than the support from our Aussie fans.”

Australia will open its 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.

Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar, Leah Poulton and Kate Blackwell mark the six-month countdown to Australia’s defence of the World Cup, Sydney, September 6, 2008 © Getty Images