Cricket: Lone woman umpire reckons she's on a good wicket

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Wellington cricket umpire Kathy Cross is the only woman among eight officials chosen to control games at the women's World Cup qualifying tournament in Bangladesh next month.

Cross, 54, will work alongside international and affiliate nation umpires at the tournament in Dhaka from November 14 to 25.

Four of the 10 teams will qualify out of the tournament for the World Cup in 2013.

Cross, who stood at the 2009 World Cup in Sydney, is delighted.

"I've never been to the sub-continent so I'm really looking forward to seeing Bangladesh and I'm certain the quality of cricket on display will be fantastic," Cross said.

The International Cricket Council's umpires and referees manager, Vince van der Bijl, said Cross "remains an excellent role model for aspiring women umpires".

South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe and the United States are in group A; the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland, Japan and Bangladesh are in group B.