England Women to face New Zealand

England Women will travel to New Zealand in February 2015 to play a five-match one-day international series and three match Twenty20 International series.

In the schedule announced by New Zealand Cricket on Thursday, the first three ODIs on February 11, 13 and 15 at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, will form England’s second round of matches in the new ICC Women’s Championship.

The two sides will subsequently travel to Whangarei to play back-to-back T20Is at the Cobham Oval on February 19 and 20, before finishing the 26-day tour with the third T20I and two remaining ODIs on February 24, 26 and 28 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. 

England Women will be seeking to emulate their performance during their last tour to New Zealand in 2012, when they won a three match one-day international series 3-0, and a five match Twenty20 International series 4-0 (with one match abandoned without a result).

Commenting on the touring schedule, ECB Head of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said: “It's fantastic to be able to announce our winter schedule on the back of an exciting first round of the ICC Women's Championship here against India. 

“Every bilateral ODI series now carries even more weight for the top eight international women's teams as they strive towards qualification for the ICC Women's World Cup in England in 2017.  There’s no question that both England and New Zealand will be raring to go when play gets underway at the Bay Oval on February 11.

“The three T20Is in the middle of the tour present another valuable opportunity for the players to challenge their skills on the international stage in the build-up to the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 in India, and also the multi-format Women’s Ashes in England next summer.”

England Women’s tour to New Zealand 2015 schedule:

*ICC Women’s Championship fixture