Two cricket fans check out the game from their Dunedin sofa

"Mate, that CricInfo Womens World Cup final was as good as it gets."

"Absolutely it was, probably the finest game of cricket ever seen. And we saw it."

"We saw every ball. And heard every commentating word as well. Does Martin Crowe realise they were women?"

"Pal, the word man is quite acceptable for women. You want a 12th Woman carrying the drinks? Sounds daft. Cricket is a game invented by men, played solely by men for many years, which women now play much better."

"Well I wouldn't argue with that. When the CricinfoWorld Cup began I tuned into Sky to see if these women could play. I quickly decided they couldn't, then I realised I'd been watching the West Indies men against Australia on a different channel."

"I was pleased for coach Mike Shrimpton. I remember him captaining CD when Otago butchered them at the Brook to win the Shell Series 25 years ago. We caroused long and hard in the dressing-room and then I went outside and there was Shrimpo staring out into the gloom."

"Shrimpo always took defeat hard."

"That he did. He said to me 'Sofa, this is a black day for me, but I swear to you I will be back in 25 years to coach New Zealand to win the CricInfo World Cup' - and he was true to his word."

"I tell you mate, I'm privy to some pretty serious boardroom stuff going on at New Zealand Cricket on this. Can you keep a secret?"

"You know I can."

"Well mate, this comes from Christopher Doig himself, but it musn't go beyond these four walls. Doig wants to end this antiquated separate development selection policy which has held New Zealand mens' cricket back for decades - he wants the best players selected regardless of gender."

"Yet another example of New Zealand cricket leading the world."

"Precisely. And it's a tantalising thought, revealing just how far ahead of the play Doig is. Imagine if you picked the best players for the Clear Black Caps right now - you'd have to open with Anna O'Leary and Rebecca Rolls, both outstanding strikers of the ball. No room for Parore - he has been keeping well, but Rolls is by far the better bat."

"And Emily Drumm at three - what a wonderful strokeplayer! And captain too, her efforts at defending 184 were astonishing. Belinda Clark couldn't get near the strike at one stage." "Giving the last over to Clare Nicholson, the gentlest of off-spinners, was pretty brave."

"Mate, these women have long since abandoned speed, swing and bounce. Outdated and over-rated concepts all three. Women prefer guile, cunning and craft. And who bowled Belinda Clark and won the game in the final over?"

"Okay, point taken. Debbie Hockley looked a bit shaky last Saturday, but you can't coach experience. She has to be in, she's one of the greats."

"Haidee Tiffen and Kathryn Ramel select themselves."

"Ramel was astounding. I couldn't believe she came in at six. In the CLEAR Black Caps I'd have her at four. And Helen Watson you have for fielding alone - superb."

"She was. Now I like Vettori, but Nicholson and Catherine Campbell have to be the spinners."

"Vettori's time will come, cobber, Campbell did bowl beautifully. Katrina Keenan and Rachel Pullar couldn't be faulted either, especially Pullar, the Otago girl, whom most purists would agree was Man of the Match."

"We need a 12th Man - Nash?"

"The token man - there has to be one. He's nowhere near the all-rounder Ramel is, but he drives a drinks trolley with attitude. I tell you mate, this lot wouldn't only beat Zimbabwe, they'd beat Pakistan as well."

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