By TERRY MADDAFORD
It will be new faces all around when four of the best teams in women's cricket walk on to Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University on Sunday.
New Zealand's side in the women's World Series of Cricket features four of the players who won the 2000 World Cup on the same ground in a last-over thriller against Australia.
Only captain Emily Drumm, Rebecca Rolls, Haidee Tiffen and Nicola Payne of that team remain.
The Indian and Australian sides, too, boast a host of new faces whereas England have a relatively stable line-up.
New Zealand have been hit with the late and unexpected withdrawal of Otago bowler Rachel Pullar.
The star of last winter's northern tour, Pullar took 21 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 6.76.
Also missing from the TelstraClear White Ferns are Fiona Fraser, with a back problem which will sideline her for the rest of the season, and Anna Corbin, who broke her thumb while practising last week. She, too, will miss the remainder of the season.
The team will be named tomorrow after the last of the warm-up matches between New Zealand A and England, Australia and India.
While she is interested in seeing how the new-look opposition fronts up, Drumm is more concerned with getting the best from her team.
"I'm concentrating on moulding together our young bowling attack while we go through this transition," said Drumm.
"We are looking forward to playing at the Lincoln University grounds again as they have traditionally produced high-scoring matches."
Asked what she knew of the Australians - New Zealand's long-time rivals - Drumm said: "I'm in the dark, really, but I'm not underestimating Australia. They still have their hard core of very experienced players."
Australian captain Belinda Clark, her deputy Karen Rolton and Cathryn Fitzpatrick are among the best-known names in women's cricket and will pose a real challenge to the home side.
Australia, intent on revenge and with a crop of younger players coming into the side, will start favourites.
The Southern Stars have won 115 of 145 one-day matches worldwide. In 62 matches against New Zealand they have won 42.
Clark, with 82 caps, is their most experienced player followed by pace bowler Fitzpatrick (61), top-order batsman Rolton and wicketkeeper Julia Price with 60 each.
Five of the Australians here for the 2000 World Cup are back and three players will make their international debuts.
Melissa Bulow, 22, has perhaps the toughest task. The Queensland opening bat has come into the squad as the likely replacement for Lisa Keightley, who stepped aside late last year after seven years at the top.
She retired with an average of 44.56. Only two Australians have a better batting average than last year's Australian International Women's Cricketer of the Year.
Other newcomers are 19-year-olds Alex Blackwell and Kris Britt.
Blackwell, an allrounder from New South Wales, helped her state side into their seventh consecutive final last weekend. She and Britt are products of Australia's successful youth programme.
Britt was the player of the championship at this summer's Australian under-19 tournament, scoring 384 runs at 76.80 and taking 15 wickets at 14.73.
New Zealand meet Australia in the World Series opener on Sunday. The last of the round-robin matches - again featuring New Zealand and Australia - will be played on February 6 and the final is two days later.
WORLD SERIES DATES
All matches Lincoln University, outside Christchurch
Jan 26: New Zealand v Australia
Jan 27: England v India
Jan 28: New Zealand v India
Jan 29: Australia v England
Jan 30: New Zealand v England
Feb 1: Australia v India
Feb 2: New Zealand v India, Australia v England
Feb 3: New Zealand v England
Feb 4: Australia v India
Feb 6: New Zealand v Australia, England v India
Feb 7: Third v fourth play-off
Feb 8: Final
QUADRANGULAR LINE-UPS
NEW ZEALAND
Emily Drumm (captain), Nicola Payne, Rebecca Rolls, Kate Pulford, Haidee Tiffen, Aimee Mason, Frances King, Nicola Brown, Louise Milliken (further players to be named tomorrow).
INDIA
Anjum Chopra (captain), Mithali Raj (vice-captain), Neetu David, Rumeli Dhar, Reema Malhotra, Jaya Sharma, Amita Sharma, Nooshin-Al-Khadir, Sulaksna Naik, Monica Sumra, Bindeshwari Goyal, Hemlata Kala, Jhulan Goswami, Babita Mandilka, Sunetra Paranjpe, Mamta Kanojia.
AUSTRALIAN SOUTHERN STARS
Belinda Clark (captain), Karen Rolton (vice captain), Alex Blackwell, Kris Britt, Melissa Bulow, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Michelle Goszko, Julie Hayes, Melanie Jones, Clea Smith, Julia Price, Lisa Sthalekar, Emma Twining.
ENGLAND
Clare Connor, Sarah Collyer, Charlotte Edwards, Mandie Godliman, Laura Harper, Dawn Holden, Kathryn Leng, Laura Newton, Lucy Pearson, Nicki Shaw, Laura Spragg, Claire Taylor, Clare Taylor, Arran Thompson.
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