By Barbara Daniels Former England women's cricketer

Despite some encouraging individual performances in India during the winter, it is a fact that the England women's team has not won an international fixture since December 2000.

Clearly something needed to be done to help raise standards in the domestic women's game and so the Super Fours idea was brought into being by Gill McConway, the ECB's Executive Director of women's cricket and England coach John Harmer.

The best 48 players in the country were selected and divided into four balanced teams under the captaincy of Clare Connor, Charlotte Edwards and the Taylors - Clare and Claire.

Harmer missed the opening games for family reasons

Although not representing particular regions, team identities have been forged with the spawning of team names - The Braves, The Super Strikers, Knight Riders and The V Team.

They will play each other twice between now and the middle of June and the winner will emerge, not just from winning games, but by gaining bonus points for scoring off at least three balls in every over and for bowling strings of maidens.

This Harmer initiative to focus players onto positive targets is designed to improve the teams' approach to the one-day game, but the real prize on offer is selection for the England team to play against New Zealand and India in July and August.

That being the case, how can individuals playing for places be harnessed into a team ethic?

Gill McConway explained: "These are not trial matches, but a series of six games when players are playing to win for the team.

"They do have the opportunity to improve their individual performance and show they can adapt under pressure."

Connor sidelined

With 18 players selected as a training squad after the tour to India, is there a realistic chance for anyone outside that 18 to be selected for the England team this summer?

"We would obviously expect to see the 18 who have been in training put what they have learned into practice in match situations," explained chair of selectors Patsy Lovell.

"However if any player performs consistently well in this arena, they have every chance of being selected."

Leng staked a claim for an England recall

Taylor played a fine innings, finishing on 99 not out to take her side to an unassailable 183 off their 30 overs.

Edwards, batting at three had to make up for a slow start by her team's openers. She upped the tempo immediately and put her side into a winning position, scoring a quick 40, only to be stumped off the bowling of Kathryn Leng.

Her team were not able to finish the job though and ended eight runs short.

This rounded off a good day for Leng, who missed the tour to India due to university commitments. She opened the innings and played patiently and positively for 60 as well as picking up vital wickets in the final stages of the game.

Others who caught the eye were Kate Oakenfold with the bat and Leanne Davies, Jenny Gunn and Isa Guha with the ball. The test for them will be to see if they can repeat and improve performances over the next few weeks.

The test for the format will be to see if players performing well for their team really do have a chance of being selected.

This was a good start to a positive initiative, which deserves to succeed.