On Saturday, the country's top female cricketers will take part in the first round of what has been termed the Super Fours, ahead of the summer's internationals against India and New Zealand.

"It's a fantastic idea because what's always been lacking in the women's game is a competition between county and international level," says leading allrounder Sarah Collyer.

"It's the next step up - it means the best 48 players in the country get to play each other at a higher level on a regular basis so that can only improve the women's game."

Women's county cricket features just 11 teams, but they only compete at that level during a concentrated period towards the end of summer - too late for international selection.

The new competition, brainchild of national coach John Harmer, the Australian who was appointed a year ago, brings all of those players together.

And it is not limited to England-qualified players; Chandra Kaul, the former India captain now playing for Middlesex, in order to expose players to the best opponents available.

And Collyer sees a new 'tribal atmosphere' coming from the tournament, which will follow through to the national side.

In line with that, the players have been allowed to name the teams themselves.

So the Braves, Super Strikers, Knight Riders and the V-Team will do battle each weekend from until 15 June.

And Harmer should have a good idea on the form of his top players in good time for the beginning of the one-day triangular tournament on 10 July.

World champions

England will need to be at their best as they take on the side that blanked them 5-0 in India during the winter.

Despite having lost their annual Rose Bowl series to Australia, New Zealand are still the World Cup holders, and conditions at home are similar to those in England.

"Playing the world champions is only something we can look forward to," says Collyer.

"We're definitely good enough to compete with them - the standard of the squad has improved dramatically over the last 18 months.

"John Harmer's arrival has definitely given the team a boost. He's brought along some new ideas, new techniques and given the girls something to work towards."