Women’s domestic cricket gets under way on Friday 5 December with the first round of the State League competition, including a rematch between year’s finalists.
All six teams will be in action in the State League Twenty20 competition on Friday, with 50-over State League games beginning on Saturday. The key match in the first round sees last season’s State League and Twenty20 champions, the State Canterbury Magicians, travelling to Pukekura Park in New Plymouth to play runners up the State Central Hinds.
In other matches the State Otago Sparks host the State Auckland Hearts at Molyneux Park, Alexandra, while State Northern Spirit host the State Wellington Blaze at Blake Park, Mt Maunganui.
Each round includes a day of Twenty20 competition followed by State League matches. Two rounds will be played prior to the Christmas break, and two rounds over the statutory holiday period. Both competitions culminate in a finals weekend on 24 and 25 January 2009.
Catherine Campbell, New Zealand Cricket’s Team and Tournament Operations Manager said she expects a lot of interest in the domestic competitions this year. “The White Ferns are due to participate in two ICC events in the next six months – the ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia in March 2009 and the joint ICC World Twenty20 Championship in England in June 2009.
“A number of established and fringe White Ferns will be looking to establish their form early in the competitions. There’s also some exciting young talent coming through into the provincial teams for the coming season – so it promises to be a really exciting summer.”
