England Women’s Summer 2008 dates announced

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today announced the dates for the 2008 NatWest women’s international fixtures against both South Africa and India.

The ECB and Cricket South Africa have come to the decision to replace the proposed one-off Test match with two additional ODI matches. This extends the NatWest ODI series to five matches and will provide both teams with a more relevant build-up to the ICC Women's World Cup in March 2009. Both the additional matches will be staged at Shenley.

New Head of Women’s Cricket Clare Connor commented:

“The England women's cricket team has an extremely busy and exciting 12 months coming up. It kicks off with a packed summer here in England with both South Africa and India touring. South Africa arrives first to play a five-match NatWest Women’s Series and three NatWest Women’s International Twenty20s. We then welcome India in late August for a further five-match NatWest Women’s Series and one NatWest Women’s International Twenty20.


“There has never been a more exciting time for women’s cricket in England and Wales and this summer's schedule offers ideal preparation for 2009 when we will compete in the World Cup in Australia in March and then the World Twenty20 in June here in England.


“We’ve got some fantastic venues lined up for the summer and are looking forward to some big crowds following the success of the winter tour to Australia where the Ashes were retained, and to New Zealand where the team won the ODI series 3-1.”

The second NatWest Women’s one-day international on August 8 against South Africa will be played at Lord’s cricket ground. England will be hoping to perform as well as they did in their last outing at the Home of Cricket against India in 2006 when Claire Taylor made 156 not out, the highest-ever score at the ground in a one-day international.

India will provide England with their second challenge of the summer when they arrive later in August for a second NatWest Women’s Series of five one-day internationals and one NatWest Women’s International Twenty20. Sky Sports will televise the third NatWest Women’s one-day international and the only NatWest Women’s International Twenty20 fixture live from the Home of Women’s Cricket, Somerset CCC on September 4 and 5 respectively.

All NatWest Women’s Series Matches will start at 10.45am, with the final match, a day/night against India starting at 2.30pm. The NatWest Women’s International Twenty20s will commence at 2.30pm, with the exception of the televised match at Taunton on September 5 which will start at 2.35pm.

Schedule: