England prepare for CricInfo World Cup curtain-raiser

England kick off their CricInfo Women's World Cup campaign with a clash against the Netherlands in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Thursday.

Twenty four hours earlier world champions Australia, the tournament favourites, take on New Zealand in what many expect to be a forerunner of the final which will be played in Christchurch on December 23.

Sponsored by Vodafone and sharing in the £94,625 grant handed to the England and Wales Cricket Board by Sport England last June, England's 14-strong squad are expecting to make progress through to the semi-finals.

England captain Clare Connor said: "We need to finish ahead of South Africa and India, the two other teams on a par with ourselves, in the round robins.

"That way we will be second or third and avoid Australia in the semi-finals _ they are almost certain to finish top of the table. But that's not to say we are scared of the Aussies, even though they beat us 5-0 over there last winter.

"We know who their key players are, but we must not overrate them. It is time to stop analysing them and go out and beat them - anything can happen in a one-day game.''