New selectors have to choose new captain for women's Indian tour

Women's cricket in New Zealand will have a new look to it this year with a new selection panel named today, and a new captain necessary after World Cup-winning captain Emily Drumm made herself unavailable for the tour of India next month. The new captain will be named on Friday.

Drumm said her decision was due to work commitments as she is in a new job. "No-one really want to miss a tour, and this is the first one I have missed, but it was the best thing to do at the time," she said.

However, Drumm was still intending to be available for the six-match series against Australia early next year. She wasn't prepared to commit beyond that, saying her intention at this stage was to concentrate on this season.

Two long-standing selectors, Lesley Murdoch and Eileen Badham, and the more recent appointment Kirsty Flavell, have stood down from their positions and two leading players from the past Debbie Hockley and Julie Harris will join convener and coach Mike Shrimpton on the selection panel. Hockley was New Zealand's finest batsman, and the world record holder for most runs by a women when she retired, while Harris was a leading bowler, taking 62 wickets in one-day internationals.

The panel has been appointed through until the end of the 2005 World Cup in February-March in South Africa. New ZealandCricket women's manager Catherine Campbell said the new selectors had complementary skills.

"Mike has played Test cricket for New Zealand and has coached the White Ferns since 1998. He knows what is required to be successful in women's cricket having coached the team to victory at the 2000 Women's World Cup.

"Debbie was an outstanding player for New Zealand over a number of years and holds iconic status internationally in women's cricket. She was renowned for her meticulous preparation as well as her mental discipline and application in the middle.

"Julie also brings considerable international experience to the table having represented the White Ferns in 10 Tests and 45 one-day internationals between 1988 and 1996 and her expertise complements Debbie's skills and knowledge. Julie is also an NZC Level 3 coach who has coached the State Wellington Blaze for three seasons."

Campbell said the selectors' first job would be to pick a new captain for the upcoming tour of India with Drumm's unavailability. The team for the tour will be named on October 14. The team leaves for India on November 17.