New Zealand Cricket Announces Draw for the CricInfo Women's World Cup

New Zealand will play the current world champions Australia in the opening match of the CricInfo Women's World Cup.

The match will take place at the BIL Oval, Lincoln University, on Wednesday 29 November.

The opening game is the match-up of the tournament with the two sides being the unofficial favourites to lift the world title.

Australia are the undisputed favourites as current holders of the women's world cup and having defeated New Zealand 3-0 in the Shell Rosebowl series played at Melbourne earlier this year. However New Zealand is clearly the second ranked team and when the two sides last met in New Zealand in early 1999 New Zealand won the series 2-1.

New Zealand Cricket women's cricket manager, Catherine Campbell, said the opening match will set high standards of play for the to urnament.

"Australia and New Zealand are clearly the top two teams in women's cricket at this time. Matches between the two countries have been closely fought over recent seasons and the result of this first match may well decide the ultimate placings for the semi-finals," she said.

Eight teams will contest the CricInfo Women's World Cup. Each team will play seven matches in the round robin preliminary rounds of the tournament.

All matches will be played at New Zealand Cricket's two grounds at Lincoln University - BIL Oval and Lincoln Green; and at Hagley Park, Christchurch.

Matches will be played every day from 29 November to 16 December.

The top four teams will then play a semi-final with 1 v 4 taking place on Monday 18 December and 2 v 3 played on Wednesday 20 December. The winners will contest the CricInfo Women's World Cup Final on Christmas Eve.