2002-03 women's international, domestic and youth matches released
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) today released the official programs for the women's international, domestic and youth matches for season 2002-03.
The Australian women's team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, contest in a four-nation one-day international series in New Zealand (26 January - 8 February) before hosting England for two Ashes Tests at Brisbane's Gabba (15 - 18 February) and Sydney's Bankstown Oval (22 - 25 February).
Australia opens the quadrangular tournament on 26 January against host nation New Zealand. The round-robin series, which also involves England and India, sees each team contest six matches for a place in the final at Bert Sutcliffe Oval on 8 February.
The tournament sees the four teams come together for the first time since the 2000 CricInfo Women's World Cup, which New Zealand won after overcoming Australia in the competition final.
Women's Test cricket returns to Brisbane for the first time since 1985. Interestingly, Brisbane staged the first Australia-England women's match played on Australian soil in 1934.
ACB Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the international program will provide more opportunity to raise the profile of the women's game.
"The Australian women's cricket team has enjoyed outstanding success in recent times, and this summer joins the men's side in trying to defend its grip on the Ashes," Mr Sutherland said.
"These matches are a wonderful chance to showcase elite women's cricket in Brisbane and Sydney and in doing so, emphasise to talented female athletes that cricket is a sport they can pursue," he said.
Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars captain Belinda Clark said the fixtures provide the Australians with the opportunity to prepare for the 2003 World Cup.
"The one-day tournament in New Zealand is a terrific opportunity to have a look at three of the world's best teams ahead of next year's World Cup," Clark said.
"It is also a chance to try to gel our side into a unit capable of re-gaining that world champion status as well as develop players in the Test arena.
"It has been nearly 10 years since Australia has taken on England in a Test at home, so we are determined to put in a strong performance and retain the Ashes," Clark said.
The annual Rose-Bowl competition between Australia and New Zealand, along with the one-day international component of Australia's series against England, were originally scheduled to be hosted by the ACB. The ACB has made a financial contribution to help stage the quadrangular series in New Zealand.
Prior to the four-nation tournament, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars play a tour match against New Zealand A at Ashburton, south of Christchurch, on 24 January.
The Australian youth team, the Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars, play England in a tour match at Brisbane's Allan Border Field on 12-13 February.
The opening round of the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) begins on 9 November, when reigning champions the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Blues take on the Southern Scorpions at Adelaide Oval.
The NSWIS Blues are chasing their seventh consecutive WNCL title after defeating the Victoria Spirit in the 2001-02 finals series at Bankstown Oval.
Queensland Fire play their first match of the domestic season at Allan Border Field when they take on the Southern Scorpions (23-24 November), while the Western Fury host Belinda Clark's Victoria Spirit, at Abbett Park in Scarborough (23-24 November).
The program also features matches in two new regional venues. Bowral, in the southern highlands of New South Wales, hosts a match between the NSWIS Blues and the Western Fury (11-12 January), while Victoria Spirit and Queensland Fire do battle in the Victorian city of Geelong on the same weekend.
For the first time in the WNCL, the team that finishes the home-and-away season in top position will win the right to host the 2002-03 finals series. In the past, the finals were hosted by the team that finished first in the previous season.
At junior level, national under-age championships for under-15, under-17 and under-19 players, as well as second tier championships also take place over the summer.
The under-15 championships are to be staged in Sydney from 16 December, the under-17 competition will be played in Adelaide (23-28 February), the under-19 championships will be held in Canberra (2-9 January), while the second tier championships will be contested in Melbourne (9-13 December).
© 2002 Australian Cricket Board
| Related Link | Women's Cricket |
| Teams | Australia, England. |
| Players/Umpires | James Sutherland, Belinda Clark. |
| Tours | England Women in Australia England Under-19s Women in Australia |
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Results - Forthcoming Desktop Scoreboard |
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