New Zealand's world champion women cricketers fly out of Christchurch tomorrow morning after a week's build-up at the High Performance Centre to top off a programme designed to compensate for the loss of their tour to India.

The cancellation of the tour, due to security reasons, was a body blow for the CLEAR White Ferns who need to start working towards rebuilding their side.

But the hastily-arranged three-game tour to Queensland is some compensation.

The game has been viewed by the side's administration as a six-game tour, three games having been played at Lincoln University this week as part of the tour and also an assessment of some of the younger promising players in the country.

Team coach Mike Shrimpton said that before the cancellation of the Indian tour the players had built up well through the winter with fitness training, regular visits to Lincoln and, latterly, matches and were in a very buoyant frame of mind.

"The cancellation was a huge mental letdown and I suspected it would be hard for them to get up again," Shrimpton said, "but we've had a good week out at Lincoln in very good conditions and we are looking forward to it now.

"A lot of runs were scored and the players looked in good shape and form."

The exercise was also beneficial from a selectorial point of view as some of the younger players were looked at in conditions tougher than what they had been in before.

Shrimpton said he had a lot of time around the country during the winter and saw many of the younger players in action.

"They are young in experience but rich in talent," he said. And some of those players would benefit from the A team tour to Australia in February.

Some were capable of forcing their way into consideration for New Zealand's tour to Europe in the winter when they will take part in a tri-series with England and India.

"Initially the players were a little rusty and there were a few cobwebs but we got some game plans set and our routines re-set.

"It will be very competitive in Australia, our players have not had a lot of cricket and they lack playing time," he said pondering the bad weather to have plagued New Zealand so far this summer.

All players would play at least four of the six games in the programme in New Zealand and Australia.

CLEAR White Ferns captain Emily Drumm said the week had been good and a full on experience.

"I am quite excited by what has been done. It has been a really good opportunity to enjoy a bat on quality wickets. They are very good wickets at Lincoln and it is easy to score runs quickly and it was enjoyable to have a long innings," she said.

The tour and the preparations for the new players to learn what it was to be part of the White Ferns and it was also a chance for the older players to get out of New Zealand, and the cycle of playing among themselves for some fresh competition.

The tour games are: all against Queensland on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.

© CricInfo