Cricket: Auckland Hearts chasing domestic double

Today's cricketers are used to adapting to different forms of the game, but change doesn't usually happen overnight.

And if playing a Twenty20 game the day after a 50-over match doesn't sound difficult enough, imagine both finals are against unbeaten opposition.

That's the situation facing the Auckland Hearts women's cricket side, who this weekend take on the Canterbury Magicians on consecutive days with the domestic one-day and T20 titles on the line.

But Auckland co-coach and former White Ferns captain Maia Lewis, was unperturbed about the task facing her team.

"Really, it's nothing new for us," she said. "We can adapt from one to the other pretty quickly."

That's because they've been doing it all season. The two women's competitions - the Action Cricket Cup and the Action Cricket T20 - have run concurrently throughout the summer.

The other challenge for the Hearts is their unbeaten opposition, and Lewis was treating that one with greater respect.

"The good thing for us is we played them in the first round (a six-wicket T20 loss and a nine-wicket 50-over loss) and we've improved hugely since then," she said.

"We're feeling pretty confident, coming off a few wins, so we feel like a different team.

"We've got as good a chance as them, really - they're expected to win so we've got nothing to lose."

If the Hearts manage to pull off an upset or two, it will be the start of what Lewis hopes is a successful summer for Auckland in limited overs cricket.

Their male counterparts, the Aces, are through to their own T20 final and are top of the standings in the one-day competition, meaning the province could be kings in all four short-format competitions.

"We're keen for both flagship teams to lead the way," Lewis said. "It would be awesome if we can double-up."