Cricket: Kiwis ready to meet Australia

The brightest young women cricketers from New Zealand and Australia will meet tomorrow for the first of five matches to be played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. The New Zealand Emerging Players XI and Australian under-21 team will face off in two Twenty20s and three ODIs in what is expected to be an evenly fought series. Australia have a wealth of depth, including seven players from an ever-dominating New South Wales side, while New Zealand have five players who have experience for the White Ferns. The New Zealand side will be spearheaded by their captain Frances Mackay, Kate Broadmore and Anna Peterson, all of whom recently finished their duties with the White Ferns. Australia possess some extremely talented youngsters like Beth Mooney though, who will co-captain the side at just 18 years old. The first Twenty20 will begin at 2pm tomorrow. New Zealand: Frances Mackay Canterbury Magicians (captain), Victoria Abbott (Otago Sparks), Janet Brehaut (Canterbury Magicians), Kate Broadmore (Central Hinds), Kylie Crowley (Otago Sparks), Natalie Dodd (Nothern Spirit), Lauren Down (Auckland Hearts), Georgia Guy (Auckland Hearts), Melinda Hodgson (Wellington Blaze), Holly Huddleston (Auckland Blaze), Meg Kendal (Canterbury Magicians), Brooke Kirkbride (Northern Spirit), Felicity Leydon-Davis (Northern Spirit), Anna Peterson (Northern Spirit)