Sthalekar looks forward to Indian return for quadrangular series

Australian vice-captain Lisa Sthalekar is looking forward to a return to India, her country of birth, later this month for the women's quadrangular series against England, New Zealand and India in Chennai.

Sthalekar, who earlier this week was named Cricket Australia's Women's International Cricketer of the Year, was born in Pune in 1979 before migrating to Australia in 1983 after spells living in the United States of America and Kenya.

The quadrangular series will be her second tour of India as she was part of the Australian squad that won a seven-match ODI series 4-3 in 2004.

In that series, the right-hander scored 152 runs and took eight wickets with her off-spin and she is hoping for an equally impressive haul on this trip.

"I always enjoy touring India because of the challenge, my connection to India and playing against friends in the Indian side," she said.

"We're hopefully going to have the chance to play in front of some large crowds. The Indian fans know and love their cricket so that's something we're really looking forward to because that opportunity doesn't come around often," she added.

The quadrangular series will run between 21 February and 5 March with each team playing the three other line-ups twice each, and Sthalekar feels it represents an ideal tune-up for the 2009 ICC Women's World Cup in Australia.

"We want to play as many international matches as we can. That's the best way for us to prepare for the World Cup in 2009 which is our major focus," she said.

"We were fortunate to have an extra series scheduled against New Zealand just prior to our domestic season and that was also good preparation ahead of this series.

"And as for this tournament, because it's the top four nations competing each match, it's like a semi final stage at the World Cup," she added.

Given the calibre of opposition, Sthalekar, who has played five Tests and 54 one-day internationals, expects the matches will involve plenty of tough cricket.

"The teams are improving all the time and we have no expectation that the series is going to be easy," she said.

"We have a number of players in our squad who have not been to India before so the conditions will be different for them, but playing and getting the experience is the best way to develop.

"India on home soil is always a tough proposition. Their record at home is impressive and because the conditions faced there are different for the rest of us, it will be extremely hard.

"We played some close games against New Zealand last October and the 5-0 scoreline probably does not accurately reflect the closeness of our contests. They will be out to put the record straight.

"And England under Charlotte Edwards is equally tough so we are under no illusion that each match will be a challenge," she added.

27-year-old Sthalekar, who is Cricket New South Wales' High Performance Manager for Female Programs, is pleased with what she sees as an upward curve in the standard of women's cricket both on and off the field.

"Each year, I think, there is a gradual improvement in terms of raising profile and awareness or being able to schedule more matches and as long as we're taking steps forward that's a positive for the women's game.

"Women's cricket is certainly popular around the world, particularly in the subcontinent, where we are expecting some large crowds. So to have a series in India where there is genuine interest is an advantage.

"The more resources that can be applied to grow the game - people, coaching and development, sponsorship etc - will help the overall development," she said.

Australia's first match of the tournament is against New Zealand on February 21 and further details, plus information on women's cricket can be found at: https://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/women/