New Zealand Cricket today announced the series schedule for the 2008/09 Rose Bowl between the White Ferns and Australia.
The series will be the White Ferns’ final competition before the ICC Women’s World Cup and ICC Women’s World Twenty20 and a first in charge for coach Gary Stead.
The games will take place in the North Island, with two at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval and two matches at Seddon Park, Hamilton – including a day-night game.
The series concludes with a fifth and final match at the Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve.
"It will be great to get the team out around the country in a year which sees them contending for two world titles," said Stead.
"To reclaim the Rose Bowl from the Southern Stars ahead of the World Cup and World Twenty20 will be a boost for the team.
NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said: "The opportunity to get the team around the country away from their base in Lincoln is great for the women’s game.
"Holding matches at Cobham Oval will be great for cricket in Whangarei and Northland after that ground has undergone renewal.
"The match at the Basin Reserve also allows a celebration of the 75-year anniversary of women’s cricket in the capital.
"Beating the world champions is always the benchmark and it will be an important to do that to start such an important year."
The White Ferns will then leave for Sydney to play in a Twenty20 international double header at the SCG.
They return to New South Wales for the ICC Women's World Cup in March, and head to England in June for the joint ICC World Twenty20.
Rose Bowl 2008/09 schedule
February 2009
| Sunday 01: | 1st ODI at Cobham Oval, Whangarei |
| Tuesday 03: | 2nd ODI at Cobham Oval, Whangarei |
| Friday 06: | 3rd ODI at Seddon Park, Hamilton (D/N 2.30pm start) |
| Sunday 08: | 4th ODI at Seddon Park, Hamilton |
| Thursday 12: | 5th ODI at Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve, Wellington |
