England's Women win New Zealand Tour Opener

England's Women made a winning start to the second leg of their winter tour, as they beat New Zealand Women A by 97 runs. Captain Charlotte Edwards chose to miss the game, but all-rounder Jenny Gunn was fit to return, following a shoulder problem that prevented her from playing in the Ashes Test in Australia.

England lost openers Sarah Taylor and Beth Morgan cheaply, after winning the toss and opting to bat first. Claire Taylor (photo), who led the team as acting captain, continued her fine form as she top-scored with 62 in England's total of 183-9 at the Lincoln Oval, collecting ten boundaries in a continuation of the form which brought her two half centuries in the Test against Australia. She shared a third-wicket stand of 107 with Jenny Gunn (47), but only two other batters reached double figures.

The target proved well beyond the home side, who were all out for 86 as Isa Guha took 3-9 and Jenny Gunn and Charlotte Russell picked up two wickets each. Katherine Brunt took the new ball for England in her first game after a 15-month lay-off caused by back problems and she was boosted by a wicket with her fourth delivery. Guha and Gunn (2-11) ran through the middle order as the home side slumped to 37-6, and although Rachel Priest survived 58 balls for 22, England wrapped up the win in the 38th over.

England achieved the result they wanted shortly after arriving from a triumphant tour to Australia where they drew the one-day series 2-2 and then won a one-off Test match top retain the women's Ashes.

New Zealand and England start a best of five one-day international series at the same venue later today.

England: 183-9 (50.0 overs) <> New Zealand A: 86 (37.2 overs)

Irish Women miss out on 2009 World Cup

Ireland missed out on a place at the 2009 Women's World Cup when they lost to South Africa in the semi-finals of the qualifying competition. Despite Cecelia Joyce's unbeaten 43, the Irish were all out for 107 and the hosts knocked off their runs in 27.4 overs to win by seven wickets.
South Africa will meet Pakistan in the final, but both will also play in the tournament proper next year.

"Everybody is absolutely gutted," said Ireland captain Heather Whelan (photo).
"We trained so hard, and for so long for this, in order to try to go to the World Cup in Australia, but it's not going to be. But we'll be here again in four years, looking for a place in the World Cup, and we expect to make it next time."

Pakistan beat the Netherlands by 98 runs in the second semi-final after bowling them out for just 68.
Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the West Indies automatically qualified for the World Cup, which will be played in New South Wales in March 2009.

Ireland's men took part in their 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and achieved unexpected success, beating Pakistan and drawing against Zimbabwe. This performance has given Cricket in Ireland a great boost, which also inspires the Irish women team.

England's Women retain the Ashes

England's women retained the Ashes with a six-wicket victory over Australia in the one-off Test in Bowral. Congratulations!

Australia started the fourth and final day on 195-4, a lead of 105, but Isa Guha took 4-60 and the hosts declared on 231-9 to set England 142 to win.
England reached their target for the loss of four wickets, with Claire Taylor 64 not out and captain Charlotte Edwards hitting the winning runs.

"I'm delighted. To win in Australia is a fantastic feeling," said Edwards after the match.
"We had always said we would come out here and aim to win this match in order to retain the Ashes and that's what we did. I'm so proud of all my players. We have played some fantastic cricket over these past four days to continually have the upper hand over Australia and to pull through and secure victory was a great effort. It was comfortable in the end, but it was a really hard battle. I am just delighted we have managed to win in Australia. It's the hardest pace to win in cricket and it shows the strength in depth we have got, especially with two 18-year-olds in the side. I haven't won a toss all tour and I think it was a turning point. You need that kind of luck sometimes."

Isa Guha (left) was named player of the match after taking 9-100 in Australia's two innings.
She said: "It was brilliant to be playing at the Bradman Oval and it was an extra special win because we knew that people were saying we had only come out for the draw as that would have been enough to retain the Ashes. But we always knew that we were playing for a win and it's great to be part of such a special occasion."

Seam bowler Guha started very well right from day one, when she took 5-40. Australia were bowled out for just 154 after having been put in by England captain Charlotte Edwards, who had won the toss. England was, however, weakened by the unexpected absence of key all-rounder Jenny Gunn, who had failed a fitness test shortly before the match. (Maybe Jenny was working too hard on her blog, which I recommend to everyone. And I hope she will be fit again to play in the upcoming matches in New Zealand). Isa Guha's figures were her best in a Test and she was well supported by Nicky Shaw, who claimed 2-18 from 19 overs.
England needed a solid start in reply and openers Caroline Atkins and Beth Morgan provided it, surviving 15 overs to see the team to 22-0 at stumps.

A record stand from captain Charlotte Edwards (right) and Claire Taylor kept England in a healthy position over Australia on day two. Edwards (94) and Taylor (79) put on 159 for the third wicket, as England reached stumps on 222-7.
Their partnership surpassed England's previous record for a third wicket stand against Australia, the 137 put on by Rachael Heyhoe-Flint and Edna Barker in 1968-69.
England had resumed on 22-0, but then collapsed from 216-4 in the final session, giving the Australians some hope.

On the third day England's women looked to be on course for a draw, to retain the Ashes despite letting Australia recover from 33-3 to 195-4, a lead of 105.
Seamer Isa Guha trapped Melissa Bulow and Australia's captain Karen Rolton lbw, and bowled Alex Blackwell in between.
The excellent Lisa Sthalekar (98 no) added 107 with Shelley Nitschke (36) and 54 unbroken with Kate Blackwell to lift the hosts. However, despite their best efforts, the Aussies could not prevent England winning the match outright, and thus retaining the Women's Ashes.

AUS: 1st innings: 154 (81.5 overs) / 2nd innings: 231-9 (93.0 overs)
ENG: 1st innings: 244 (141.4 overs) / 2nd innings: 144-4 (44.3 overs)

England's Women lose first Tour Match in Australia

England's women had a bad start ahead of their one-day series in Australia. They lost by nine wickets to the Victoria state team in a warm-up tour match in Melbourne.
The tourists were bowled out for 137, with only Jenny Gunn (29) and Nicki Shaw (26 off 23 balls) making much of an impression with the bat. It left Victoria an easy task and they knocked off the runs in their 36th over.

"We're disappointed with our performance. It was a long way from our best," said England coach Mark Dobson, but insisted: "I'm confident that with a week's training and two more warm-up games, we'll be back close to our best and ready to compete."

England, who used 13 players during the match, never recovered from the early loss of opener Beth Morgan (1), Claire Taylor (9) and captain Charlotte Edwards (5). Sarah Taylor made 21 off 33 balls, but Lydia Greenway (20) was the only other batter, apart from Gunn and Shaw, to reach double figures.

Although Jenny Gunn (picture) later trapped Elyse Villani lbw for 15 at the start of Victoria's reply, Rachel Haynes (63 not out) and Sarah Edwards (50 not out) saw the Australian state team to their target as England opted to give nine different bowlers a chance to turn their arms over.

England: 137 (48.3 overs) <> Victoria: 143-1 (35.4 overs)

Increase in female Participation

The ECB has just announced a 45% increase in Club and Schools Cricket participation among women and girls in England and Wales during 2006-07.
Former England's women captain Clare Connor, now the Board's head of Women's Cricket, welcomes these results and said: "It provides a great foundation on which to build future England teams."

England's Women frustrated over short Ashes tour

England's women captain Charlotte Edwards is frustrated that their Ashes defence will be decided by just a single Test in Australia next month. England's women won their Ashes over two Tests at home in 2005, but there is now only room for one Test on the upcoming tour.

"It's frustrating. We'd have preferred a two or three-match series, but it can't be," Edwards said in an interview with the BBC. "If it rains then it could be even more frustrating, but we won't go looking for a draw. May the best team win."

The England team has now arrived in Australia, knowing they face a tough task against opponents that are the top-ranked side in the women's game. But 28-year-old captain Edwards is confident the memories of 2005 will help lift England's performance.
"We are going out there as underdogs," she admitted. "It's a massive challenge for us, as Australia have been the most consistent team in the world for the last ten years. But the 2005 win made Cricketing history and is something that I will never forget."

England will play a Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals against Australia prior to the Ashes Test, which starts at the Bradman Oval in Bowral on February 15th. Afterwards they will head off for more one-day matches in New Zealand.