Cricket: English women led pack in trophy hunt

So Australia or New Zealand favourites to have their name engraved as first winners of the women's world Twenty20?

Actually, no. It's the hosts.

Having won the World Cup in Sydney three months ago, England are fancied to make it a double in the women's tournament to run concurrently with the men's.

All their games are being played at Somerset's ground at Taunton before the semifinals are played at Trent Bridge and The Oval and the final at Lord's on June 21.

"I'd rather be in our position than not, to be honest," England's captain Charlotte Edwards said.

"It's new territory for us but we're not feeling the pressure from it at all."

England beat New Zealand in the women's cup final, New Zealand choosing a bad day to have an off-day.

The batting struggled, making 166, and only getting that far thanks to Lucy Doolan's late rapid 48. England got to 167 for six with 3.5 overs up their sleeve.

The transtasman rivals have warmed up with three matches in Brisbane this week. New Zealand won the first narrowly before being well beaten in the second and third.

They meet again in their opening pool match next week. There's not much in it, and both will fancy their prospects of beating England, whose Twenty20 record is an average six wins and five losses.

Then again, New Zealand can only boast a modest five wins and six losses from their 12 internationals. They have three newcomers in their squad, Auckland's Saskia Bullen and Victoria Lind and Wellington's Sian Ruck. They will get a look at England when they play a warm-up match on Monday.

Aimee Watkins captains New Zealand, who will lean on her and Suzie Bates, Lind, Amy Satterthwaite and Sara McGlashan to provide the bulk of the runs.

Ruck, Sarah Devine and Doolan loom as key contributors with the ball.

"It's an exciting squad," coach Gary Stead said. "We've got power hitters and a good mix of containing bowlers and alternative options with the ball."