Players from all over the country face a psychological battle in the second round of the women's State League, which begins tomorrow.

Defending champions, the Auckland, need to down their biggest rivals in a difficult double-header at the new venue of North Harbour Stadium to get their quest for a State League 'three-peat' off to a winning start, while Northern Districts will need to hit the ground running to keep up with Otago.

Auckland stand to move to the head of the points table in front of Wellington (who have a bye this round) as the competition leader if they win all four of their matches in the next four days.

Star all-rounder Emily Drumm says this creates an immediate goal and the side is also determined to christen North Harbour Stadium as a new women's domestic venue with back-to-back victories over their traditional rivals Canterbury.

Drumm said: "It's going to be tough playing four games in a row, but we're not complacent and personally I feel that the bye in round one has given us more time to prepare ourselves well. Canterbury had three very close games last week, so it's important we start strongly. As we've already seen, it's a much more even competition this year and so there are no givens."

Drumm says the matches will be a test of Auckland's new-look bowling line-up. Missing this season are former CLEAR White Ferns Munokoa Tunupopo and Clare Nicholson, while feisty Paula Gruber is back after having been dropped last year.

"We do have an element of inexperience there with two key bowlers gone," says Drumm. "We've found the players to cover that, but there is always a certain gulf between seasoned individuals and those making their debut or playing their first or second season."

Running a close second on the points table with two wins from four matches, Canterbury are under pressure to lift their batting against Auckland.

The all-star Cantabrian top order hasn't fired, with openers Paula Flannery and Nicola Payne eager to put their first-round disappointments behind them and Haidee Tiffen (who has produced one good knock of 40 from her first three bats, but was disappointed with her soft dismissals) yet to show her best.

The bowling attack will also be of concern to skipper Flannery, with a lack of variation compared to other sides. But she has been encouraged by the performance of rising star Beth McNeill. The 19-year-old all-rounder recently returned from Texas where she had been an exchange student and has played a pivotal role with the bat from No 7 in the order. The line-up also includes 2001 New Zealand Cricket Academy graduates Sarah Burke and Fiona Fraser.

National convener of selectors, Lesley Murdoch, says the Canterbury guns must fire if they're to push the defending champions in round two.

"That Auckland team is still powerful," cautions Murdoch. "It's powerful not just because of the name players, but particularly because they have Emily Drumm and Rebecca Rolls and they can both turn a match, more so than any other player in the competition."

Meanwhile in Hamilton, Murdoch believes Otago have the advantage over coming days, having already played several hard matches in round one.

"Despite playing at home, Northern will be the underdogs against Otago given that eight of their players are from the Under-21 team. They're short on experienced top order batting, but this is a great opportunity for them," Murdoch said.

Otago who include 2001 Netherlands captain Pauline te Beest - bowled well in round one and were encouraged by Rachel Pullar's 73 with the bat.

Central Districts and competition leaders Wellington both have a bye this round.

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