Victoria and New South Wales set for MCG clash

Table toppers Victoria host second-placed New South Wales at the MCG in the second round of the Women's National Cricket League at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this Saturday and Sunday.

The Breakers have named the same 12 players which defeated South Australia twice in Round 1, with Lisa Sthalekar the stand-out player. Victoria Spirit defeated Western Australia twice in their first round, picking up a bonus point in both matches.

Victoria and New South Wales met five times last season with the Breakers holding a slight 3-2 advantage This includes a 2 - 1 victory in the best-of-three Finals Series last January.

The Spirit's Clea Smith is looking forward to the tussle. "The rivalry between  Victoria and NSW is intense," she told the Cricket Victoria website, "and whether we are playing at  the MCG or in someone's backyard the fight to the last ball will be there.

"It will be a challenge for them  as it is for us. We tend to have tight games, whether one team scores 120 or the target is 250-260 runs. It boils down to who is the most determined and who performs their skills the best under pressure."

Queensland and South Australia face off twice at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. Led by Australian captain Karen Rolton, the Scorpions' team includes spinner Shelley Nitschke, and possibly the world's fastest female bowler, Emma Sampson as well as allrounder Kris Britt.

The heat will be on the Queensland Fire as they seek to make amends for last season's loss to the Scorpions.

Admission to the matches is free.

New South Wales Lisa Sthalekar (capt), Alex Blackwell, Sarah Aley, Sarah Andrews, Charlotte Anneveld, Kate Blackwell, Leonie Coleman (wkt), Rene Farrell, Nicole Goodwin, Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton.

Queensland Fire Melissa Bulow (capt), Jude Coleman, Reanna Browne, Lyndall Daley, Dawn Holden, Delissa Kimmince, Kasee Marxsen, Kirsten Pike, Julia Price, Jodie Purves, Rikki-Lee Rimmington, Megan White.

Scorpions Karen Rolton (cap), Shelley Nitschke, Kris Britt, Alicia Dean Neisha Iles, Fiona McDonald, Teagan McPharlin, Jenny Gunn, Julie Woerner Emma Sampson, Leanne Davis, Cara Fiebig.