NSW, TAS, VIC to host women's international cricket in 2003-04
New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria are set to host women's international cricket matches this season after Cricket Australia today announced the 2003-04 program for the Australian women's team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars.
Cricket Australia
03-Sep-2003
New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria are set to host women's international cricket matches this season after Cricket Australia today announced the 2003-04 program for the Australian women's team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars.
Australia and New Zealand will contest six one-day international matches in the annual battle for the Rose Bowl trophy beginning on 11 February.
Staging of the six-game series will be shared at venues across the Tasman, with New Zealand hosting the first three matches before the sides travel to Australian shores to complete the one-day series.
Sydney's Bankstown Oval (21 February), Victoria's Albert Ground (25 February) and Tasmania's Bellerive Oval (27 February) will each host one of the three Australian-based matches.
All three venues have previously hosted women's one-day international fixtures.
Bankstown Oval staged the 1997 Rose Bowl series, while the Albert Ground hosted Rose Bowl games in 1991 and 2000, as well as World Cup matches in 1988.
The last match of the series at Bellerive Oval (27 February) marks a return of women's international cricket to the Apple Isle for the first time since 1990-91.
That 1990-91 series at Bellerive Oval, also a battle for the Rose Bowl, featured the one-day international debut of now-Australian captain Belinda Clark.
Auckland and Hamilton will host the three New Zealand matches, with the opening game of the series (11 February) to be televised live on Sky Television.
Australian captain Belinda Clark said the strong rivalry between the two nations ensured the battle for the Rose Bowl was always a challenging contest.
"New Zealand has developed into one of our greatest rivals over the years with some very close matches and we always look forward to the opportunity to play against them," said Clark.
"The series takes on added interest and excitement being staged across two countries as it literally becomes a home-and-away contest and throws in some extra challenges which we welcome.
"The six-game series is certainly the best preparation we can have as the side starts to build the right mix and combinations heading toward the World Cup in February 2005."
Australia retained the Rose Bowl trophy in 2002-03 after defeating New Zealand 3-0 in its matches that formed part of the four-nation one-day international series in January/February.
The last time the two sides battled for the Rose Bowl trophy on Australian soil was in February 2002, when a six-match series was also shared across the Tasman.
Australia won the three home matches in Adelaide and Melbourne, before completing an overall 5-1 series victory.
The two nations have contested 65 one-day internationals with the record standing at Australia (45), New Zealand (19) with one tie.