New Zealand's success in winning the CricInfo Women's World Cup has provided an outstanding programme of opportunity for players wanting to participate in the 2005 World Cup defence.

On the immediate horizon is a tour to India later this year for the CLEAR White Ferns which is likely to include a rare Test match and several One-Day Internationals.

A programme has been received by New Zealand Cricket from India and discussion about its merits will occur later this week.

There is also likely to be a tour of Australia for either an Under-21 or an age-group development team over the summer.

Then next year New Zealand will travel to England to take part in a tri-series with India and England, and New Zealand will also play matches against the Netherlands and Ireland.

England has established a five-year touring plan in its lead-up to the next Women's World Cup, scheduled for South Africa in 2005, based on the men's teams touring England during the same summer.

But under that schedule New Zealand would not tour England until 2004 and having hosted England twice since New Zealand last toured England in 1996, that gap was felt to be too long.

So the idea of a tri-series has been offered to New Zealand and it is likely that will be undertaken.

NZC women's cricket co-ordinator Catherine Campbell said the incentives were now in front of players to stake their claims for a place in the New Zealand team which is undergoing a rebuilding phase.

Two assessment camps have been held at the High Performance Centre at Lincoln University over the last month in order to determine who the best young players are in the country.

While the selection panel of Lesley Murdoch, Eileen Badham and Mike Shrimpton, who chose the World Cup-winning team and who are all still available, has still not been confirmed for next summer, they have been given the job of choosing the squad to prepare for the Indian tour.

The selection panel choice will be made by the board of NZC at the end of next month. Nominations for the positions close on June 1.

Front runners for the Indian tour will come from the existing senior squad of: Emily Drumm (Auckland), Paula Flannery (Canterbury), Anna O'Leary (Wellington), Nicola Payne (Canterbury), Rachel Pullar (Otago), Kathryn Ramel (Auckland), Rebecca Rolls (Auckland), Haidee Tiffen (Canterbury), Emily Travers (Central Districts), Helen Watson (Auckland).

Other places in the squad are most likely to come from the A squad of: Nicola Browne (Northern Districts), Sarah Burke (Canterbury), Anna Corbin (Wellington), Maria Fahey (Canterbury), Fiona Fraser (Canterbury), Philippa Gerrish (Central Districts), Erin McDonald (Central Districts), Katey Martin (Otago), Aimee Mason (Central Districts), Louise Milliken (Northern Districts), Natalee Scripps (Auckland), Munokoa Tunupopo (Auckland).

Coach Shrimpton said he was pleased with the way all the players at the assessment camps came through while the recent visits he has made to three of the major associations had also been encouraging.

"There are a lot of very promising young athletes playing now and I was suitably impressed.

"With the top team retirements we have had since the CricInfo Women's World Cup there is some concern with the bowling. Obviously we are in a transition period and it may be that results during this period are not as pleasing as we would want.

"But by the time we defend our title we will be a stronger fielding side and we'll have players with all-round strengths.

"And there is the likelihood of a much more extensive playing programme as we prepare," he said.

© CricInfo