The team is presently young and slowly gaining experience. Over the two years I watch the team members grow in stature and maturity, taking on a vast responsibility. I wish the team all the best and my thoughts and prayers are with them. There are a few players who will show their class and wit during the world cup. I will not single those players out at this time. There will be a few surprises and I am looking forward to it.

But, I will admit I felt sorry I had to disappoint the team by my sudden departure from the game. I must say it is for the good. One must understand when the mind and the body say no it means no. When the support is not forthcoming this can breed discontentment. When the fun is out of the game also the joy of playing goes with it. It was just not me. My experiences, knowledge, players, well wishers and love of the game were the only thing keeping me going. However, the experiences and the behaviour of some makes you wonder if they knew what it means to have fun and play the game seriously? A word to the wise, “you must have fun to play with passion…”

During the winter we had monthly camps involving everything from skills, game plans, guest speakers, fitness, cooking skills, to a gruelling team challenge. We also had matches pre-season against representative boys. Our season started in October for a club competition and our domestic State competition started in early December. The State competition is extremely important for our preparation. It showed this year any team can be beaten and the competition was always closely fought and players put under pressure. The introduction of the State Twenty20 competition last year has proven to be successful and further develops the style of play we enjoy playing.

Our domestic season has been a huge success. The league has certainly evened up and there was certainly intense competition for places in the national side. During the last round four teams were fighting for the finals spot and the players were put under immense pressure.

We have a fair idea of Australian conditions and Australian bowlers which will help us in preparing for the tournament. Australia tried out quite a few young players against us and I have to say none of them played like debutants. Even the Under-21 players played some tough cricket. There is hardly any difference between domestic and international sides while touring Australia. We would do really well to learn from their fighting spirit and don’t-give-an-inch attitude.

In fact I have seen a lot of youngsters in our domestic season this year who have the right attitude for the international level. They don’t worry about names when they play and I appreciate that. I believe there need be no undue respect on the field for star players.

	Ireland are planning on increasing the amount of internationals they play year on year in the next three or four seasons © International Cricket Council

This winter has been a low key affair so far for the Irish women’s team. We have been doing some technical training concentrating on improving our technique, so there has been a lot of fielding and bowling machine practice.

We begin training in earnest at the end of January for our increased fixtures this summer. This is an exciting year for our cricket, because we are planning on increasing the amount of internationals we play year on year in the next three or four years. We hope that this increase in matches will help us gain more experience more quickly; I have been playing for Ireland for almost 10 years and have yet to even reach the 50 cap mark. Clare Shillington has been playing for two years longer than I have, and she only received her 50th cap in South Africa in February last year.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are coming to Ireland in May-June 2009. I am personally very excited to play both countries for very different reasons. I have not played against Sri Lanka since I was 17 and playing in my first World Cup in New Zealand, and I am keen to see how they have improved. And, of course, I’m sure all of the girls will want to have another go at beating Pakistan after our terrible showing against them in the World Cup Qualifiers.

A first this summer will be the inclusion of an Irish side in the UK County Championships. I think the tournament will be a great opportunity to bring some younger and new players into the fold, give them a chance to show what they can do on a bigger stage, and maybe even get selected for some international matches. A lot of emphasis will be placed on the development squad this summer - they will play two sets of matches against English county sides.

Finally, my cricket New Year’s resolution. I am resolved make 2009 the beginning of a revival of women’s cricket in Ireland. We have girls with great talent and, at times, that shows through. Our problem is that we rarely pull together as a team - performing together - and our belief in ourselves has been lost. We have had a month break from cricket, and will be having another month off after Christmas.

I hope that after that break, the squad will come back together filled with ambition and belief. The team with players who will do anything for each other, who are selfless in their decisions and the way they play, and most of all the team that works together is the team that believes and ultimately wins. My resolution is to make the girls believe that we can and will start winning again, and very soon too.