Nervous time for NZ's world champion women

News of bomb blasts in Mumbai will have caused some nervousness among New Zealand's world champion women's cricket team. They are due to tour India in later this year, two years after another scheduled tour was called off when the war against terrorism was being fought in Afghanistan.

The cancellation of the tour in 2001 was a body blow to development of the New Zealand women's team, as it delayed the introduction of several young players who were being blooded for the defence of the world title in South Africa in 2005. They have subsequently made their international debuts in England and Australia, but the loss of the Indian tour was a frustration.

However, it has been reinstated and will now take place between November 19 and December 15. It will involve one Test match and five one-day internationals. The Test will be played at Vapi, Gujarat, at a private ground while the ODIs will be at Mumbai, Aurangabad, Bangalor, Hyderbad and Chennai. Dates for the matches will be announced when they have been confirmed by the venues.

India finished third in the World Cup in 2000 and was beaten by New Zealand when the teams met during a tri-series in England last year and in a four-team mini series in New Zealand last summer.

Meanwhile, the Women's Cricket Association of India has started talks with the Board of Control for Cricket in India over the prospect of the amalgamation of the two bodies. This is in line with moves at the international level. New Zealand, Australia and England are already merged.