Reigning champion New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Blues and 2000-01 runner-up Konica Queensland Fire feature in an exciting round of season-opening matches of the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL) this weekend.

The Julie Hayes led NSWIS Blues take on Karen Rolton's Southern Scorpions in two one-day matches played on 3 and 4 November at Dalton Park in Wollongong, NSW - the city's first national league match.

Konica Queensland Fire captain Julia Price will aim for a good start against Belinda Clark's Victoria Spirit in the two one-day games at Allan Border Field in Brisbane on 3 and 4 November.

The NSWIS Blues campaign for six consecutive WNCL titles rests heavily on star Australian right-handed batter Lisa Keightley. Keightley was in good form during the recent Ashes tour, scoring 163 runs in the three one-day international matches played. This followed her form at the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand, where she was named player of the tournament after amassing 375 runs at an average of 75.

The Southern Scorpions efforts will be helped by in-form captain Rolton. The Australian vice-captain has dominated recent international competition. She scored a world-record 209 not out against England during the Headingley Test and was the leading run-scorer of the 2000 World Cup with 393 runs. The left-handed batter was also last year's WNCL Player of the Series.

With Australian captain Clark sure to dominate with the bat, the Victorian Spirit will look to an in-form right-arm quick bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who took 17 wickets on the 2001 Ashes tour.

Hard-hitting left-hander Sally Cooper could provide Konica Queensland Fire with the tonic it needs to go one better this year. Cooper made her Australian one-day international debut on the 2001 Ashes tour. Her 85 against Ireland showed she has what it takes at the international level.

Clark's relocation to Victoria is the highest-profile player movement of the pre-season. The right-handed batter captained the NSWIS Blues for the past eight years but journeyed south last year due to work commitments. Clark heads the women's cricket division at the Australian Cricket Board (ACB).

Other movements include Megan White's return to the Konica Queensland Fire after a season with Victoria Spirit and 19-year-old Kris Brit's move to the Southern Scorpions from the Australian Capital Territory.

The national league will be without former Australian players Charmaine Mason (Victorian Spirit), Jane Franklin (Victorian Spirit) and Joanne Broadbent (Southern Scorpions) this season. All three have retired.

The Southern Scorpions will also miss leg-spinner Olivia Magno, who will not play before Christmas after injuring her knee during the second one-day international of the 2001 England tour.

Coaching changes include the move of former NSW wicket-keeper David Moore to the NSWIS Blues and Mark McLatchey to the Queensland Fire.

Players in the national league will shelve their culottes this year and follow the national team's lead in wearing pants. White balls will be used for the first time and players will wear coloured pads.

The national league season will conclude in February with a best of three finals series between the top two sides, before the Australian team - the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars - hosts New Zealand for a three-game one-day international series. In March, the team travels to New Zealand for another three-game series.

The 2001-02 WNCL season is the first under a new administrative system, following the integration of Women's Cricket Australia's operations with the ACB in September 2001.

The new structure will bring a united approach to the development of the women's game and dedicate additional resources to help continued growth.

Speaking about the opening of the WNCL season, Chairperson of the ACB Women's Cricket Committee Quentin Bryce said:

"This season's Women's National Cricket League promises to deliver plenty of exciting cricket. The NSWIS Blues' recent domination of the competition should be challenged this year by some quality outfits from the other states.

"The game has gone through some significant and positive changes over the past 12 months and the benefits of those movements will be seen on the field this year."

© 2001 Australian Cricket Board

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