Irish women's team set for Kiwi challenge

Cricket:If Ireland's cricketers manage to come in the top five in next year's ICC  Trophy and qualify for the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, they still won't be the first senior Irish team to make it to such a competition because next March, the Irish women's team are heading to South Africa to take on the world's best exponents of the one-day game.

And to get a view of where Ireland's women stand at that level, the current world champions, New Zealand, are in Dublin this week to play three games against a young Irish side that already has one eye on Johannesburg. The person who will lead Ireland to the World Cup is 23-year-old Clare Shillington, who, with 30-odd caps and two previous World Cup campaigns under her belt, has acquired the sort of experience normally reserved for players 10 years her senior.

And if anyone was concerned Shillington might buckle under the pressure of facing the Kiwis, then they don't know much about the confidence currently running through the women's game here.

"It's not nerve-wracking at all - it's exciting," says Shillington, who is originally from Co Down but is now living in Dublin and playing for Malahide.

"This is a very different and much younger New Zealand team than the one that won the World Cup and I think this is our best chance yet of beating them."

There are still plenty of potential match winners contained in that Kiwi side, however, with the likes of Haidee Tiffen, Rebecca Rolls and captain Maia Lewis still there from previous World Cup adventures. They are a big-hitting team that dedicate a lot of time to fielding and with selection for South Africa very much up for grabs, the New Zealand players will be giving nothing away easily to the Irish.

"While we are not naïve to their abilities, I think this is one of the best Ireland squads in a long time and I would hope to get at least one win out of the three," says Shillington confidently.

Contained in that squad is plenty of new blood with the likes of Leinster CC's Heather and Jill Whelan (teenage sisters of Railway Union opening bowler Roger) and Emma Beamish from Merrion. To go with that youth, there is plenty of experience with Miriam Grealey, Catriona Beggs and Barbara McDonald all still very much part of the set-up. If McDonald plays all three games, she will win her 50th international cap on Sunday.

Beggs will open the batting with prolific scorer and vice-captain Cecelia Joyce, who is also joined in the squad by her twin sister, Isobel. Their brothers, Gus, Dom and Ed, have all played for the Ireland men's senior team, while Ed is a professional with Middlesex at Lord's.

One reason for the buoyancy of women's cricket at the moment has been attributed to the initiative taken a couple of years ago to enter the team into the men's junior leagues. They are currently holding their own in the Junior A division which gives them the chance to play against faster bowling and harder hitting than they would normally see in the women's leagues.

"It really helps us playing against the men," says Shillington. "It also means that we play together as a team nearly every week and it's a great opportunity to bring in younger players from the development squad to see how they get on."

But the real test, of course, is when they get the chance to play against top teams like New Zealand and while the Irish men's team is enjoying a wonderful season during which they have beaten a county side and the West Indies, don't be surprised if their female counterparts go one better and humble the world champions.

IRELAND SQUAD: Clare Shillington (capt.), Catriona Beggs, Marianne Herbert, Barbara McDonald, Ciara Metcalfe (all Malahide), Cecelia Joyce (vice-capt.), Emma Beamish, Una Budd, Isobel Joyce (all Merrion), Jo Day (WK, Pembroke), Miriam Grealey (YMCA), Eimear Richardson, Heather Whelan, Jill Whelan (all Leinster). Reserve: Anne Linehan (Downpatrick).

MATCH SCHEDULE: (Ireland v New Zealand) Thursday, College Park, 11am start; Saturday, Anglesea Road, 11am start; Sunday, Anglesea Road, 12.30 start.

Admission is €5 for adults and free for under-16s.