Interview by Scott Heinrich

Clare Connor, England captain and the public face of women's cricket in her home country, handles her dual role admirably.

Connor hopes England can improve on their record against New Zealand

This summer, England play a home series against New Zealand - including the first ever international Twenty20 match - before setting their sights on the World Cup in South Africa next Febraury.

Here, Connor shares her hopes and ambitions with BBC Sport.

Are the players looking forward to the series against New Zealand?

The last time we played New Zealand was in a quadrangular tournament 18 months ago.

We played them twice and came close to beating them once but a lot has changed since then.

Things change pretty fast in women's cricket. We're coming off the back of two series wins against South Africa and before that India.

New Zealand, on the other hand, have lost to India and Australia recently.

We're on the road upwards at the moment and everything's going well for us. Our past record against the Kiwis mightn't be great, but it won't be in our minds.

They've only played one Test in the last eight years, whereas we play the Ashes against Australia and we also play India every two years.

New Zealand had the better of England when they met in 2002

I don't know why they chose not to play Tests, but it's good they've decided to come back. It's a great version of the game.

Will the series be played with the 2005 World Cup in mind?

I think the girls pretty much know that the squad for this series is the one that will be going to the World Cup.

So it's been a pressure time in terms of selection. We won't want to play for our places against New Zealand because that's not healthy.

But it will certainly be a case of who proves themselves against the Kiwis who will be on the plane to South Africa.

England have beaten South Africa home and away in the last 12 months, but was it plain sailing?

You couldn't have written the script for the home series better.

At the time it wasn't so good, because they took a game off us after we had beaten them by a huge margin at Chelmsford.

The pressure was on us to win the last game at Cardiff, which we did by eight wickets. When we won we won well, but it was good to be challenged because you learn a lot from defeat.

We lost the first match in the return series earlier this year, but recovered well to win the next four and take the series.

Are you getting closer to Australia, who are clearly the team to beat at the World Cup?

I think so. I've never won a game against Australia, so I've been playing long enough to know how they win games and who their good players are.

I don't think we're far away at all. And at a tournament like the World Cup, if you have a good day then that can count for a lot.

England's new-ball veteran Pearson is bowling better than ever

If we had to play them in a five-match series, I probably wouldn't back us to beat them. But anything can happen.

How is the team looking at the moment?

We have a brilliant mix right now. In the last year or so it has come together really well.

Lucy Pearson is bowling better than I have ever seen. She took nine wickets in a game recently and smashed an entire side.

Feature: Pearson and England's new wave

We've got Claire Taylor the batsman who is averaging 80 ore 90 this season, and Clare Taylor the bowler who you can rely on for 2-35 from her 10 overs. Charlotte Edwards averaged 80 on our recent tour to South Africa.

You've got those four or five players in place and around them you've got Lydia Greenway coming in at five or six and Laura Newton who's made the opening spot her own.

And there are some younger bowlers like Isa Guha and Laura Spragg who have great potential. The balance of the side is looking good.

Are you looking forward to the Twenty20 Cup game at Hove on 5 August?

Yes, it's very exciting. We've only played a couple of games at regional level, but you go up a level with the buzz.

In a way you shouldn't. If you go up a level just because it's Twenty20, then you should look at the way you play the rest of your cricket.

But that's what it should teach us - that there is another level we can reach in our game.