It has been a hectic few days for the members of the South African team. We had to leave for England immediately after the inaugural Twenty20 Super Fours domestic competition over the weekend. The team is geared up for the first match of the tour, an ODI against Ireland in Crowthorne on Thursday, which will be followed by a Twenty20 international the next day.

The Super Fours was a great experience and showed that there is some strength and depth for women’s cricket in South Africa. It is something that I am certain Cricket South Africa will look to repeat in the future, both for Twenty20 and 50-over cricket.

Back to the series, there hasn’t been much time to acclimatise to local conditions. The matches against Ireland, whom we had defeated to qualify for the World Cup, will offer invaluable practice time ahead of some of the tougher challenges that lie ahead for us on the tour. We are also aware that Ireland’s side will have some different faces to the team that played us in Stellenbosch, but to be honest our main focus is just on our game.

We know the things that we need to work on in the build-up to the World Cup and this tour will show us what we need to compete against the very best in the world.

It is not very often we have the chance to go away as a squad for a month, so I am determined that we can use this time to bond as a side and really work on our game. I felt the week we spent together as a team in Stellenbosch earlier in the year really helped us, so hopefully we can really take something from being together for a long period of time.

While I would love to see some of the sites that England has to offer and watch our men’s team in the Test series, our main focus will very much be on making sure that we use our time as effectively as possible. We also want to make sure the whole squad gets exposure to international cricket during the trip.

I can’t wait for the challenge and hopefully we can look to be as successful as Graeme Smith’s side on their tour to England.

	The teams we should be trying to beat are Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa © ICC

Another series ... well I suppose you can hardly call one Twenty20 and a one-day international a series, but for lack of a better word, another coach - this time it is stand-in coach South African Albert Van der Merwe. Our previous stop-gap coach, Matt Dwyer, has other commitments so he couldn’t stay with us after the West Indies games.

Since those matches, there has been a lot of club cricket being played, and we seem to be getting into the swing of things just when the summer is winding down. I would be lying if I said that the preparation for the South Africa games was ideal, but the girls have been training hard, and are taking an optimistic approach to the upcoming tour.

It feels like Irish women’s cricket is coming to the end of an era, and I have to say, I don’t know where we go from here. When all other Irish cricket is thriving, did everybody somehow forget about us? I was reading some postings on an Irish cricket website recently and some of the comments (in reply to a posting about how little the Irish women’s team gets in support) were along the lines that the men are the ones who have been successful, so that is where Cricket Ireland will obviously concentrate its efforts.

This was not a reflection on Cricket Ireland’s views of the women’s game, or on how they prioritise; it was the opinion of a few regular male club players and how they think cricket in Ireland should be prioritised.

In one way, who can blame people for making comments like this after our lacklustre performances this year? But this is amateur sport, and that means it is not supposed to be about who is winning what, it is supposed to be about promoting the game and participation in sport. When most of the other women writing blogs on Girls Aloud are praising the leaps forward that the women’s game is taking, I would say that we in Ireland are going backwards.

All of this just detracts from what we are trying to do though, and that is to compete with the teams that are one and two places ahead of us. The teams we should be trying to beat are Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa.

We are a little bit wiser going into these games than we were when we played South Africa in the ICC Trophy. We didn’t know much about their bowling attack then, and we didn’t stick to our game plan.

When it comes down to it though, all I want to do is go out there and play my best cricket, and hope that the other girls on the team will do the same. That is the attitude that we are going into these games with; everything else like support, funding and tours will just have to wait.

	Urooj Mumtaz and Bismah Maroof shared the Player of the Series award © Pakistan Cricket Board

From a personal perspective it was really nice to be one of the Player of the Series for my 12 wickets and 145 runs. The other Player of the Series, Bismah Maroof, our young left-handed opening batsman, again confirmed her potential as she topped the run scoring list, while it was really good to see Asfa Batool taking wickets as well.

The tournament has given us a good idea of who the best Twenty20 players are in the country and I am sure that will influence the thinking of the selectors when they meet to decide who will be in our training camp squads ahead of the series against West Indies.

One disappointment of the past week was the size of crowds at matches, which were again really made up only of families of players, but on the other hand it was great to have most major news crews in Pakistan covering the final.

There was even talk at one stage that the final was going to be televised and although it didn't happen this time, it would be great for us to get some broadcast coverage in the future, for this event.

With the final of the tournament being held in the National Stadium at Karachi, it was great to play on a ground that will be hosting the Champions Trophy in September.

I hope all the top players will be able to make it to Pakistan and I know my team-mates and I are keen to watch as many games as we can live, in order to pick up some tips from some of the stars of the men's game.

	Isa Guha took five wickets and Ebony Rainford-Brent was unbeaten in the series clincher © Getty Images

That's no words to describe what it means to play for England, but when I got the phone call to say I was in the summer squad, I did have a little cry – for about 20 seconds, before I thought "pull yourself together".Since my last blog I've played a few Super Fours matches, finishing off one with 133 in a big stand with Lottie. It's just nice to be feeling in good form.

On top of that, I got involved in the Cricathlon on CricketAM, which is a competition to sprint with all the pads on, throw a stump like a javelin and a standing high jump. Without blowing my own trumpet, I cleaned up. It was good fun, good to get the women on TV as well.

We also launched the series on a boat going to Calais from Dover and back. We played cricket on the helipad and lost about 30 balls in the sea, it was also a chance to speak to the journalists and get some information out about the summer, which kicked off with West Indies.

Speaking of the West Indies, with having a Jamaican mum, I was asked by a journalist the other day if I felt any conflict playing against them. My answer was "No, I'm from Souf London (sic) born and bred." Obviously I'm English through and through but at home there are many Jamaican traditions – food, culture, music – which I love and respect.

West Indies themselves were an unknown quantity. I've never seen them play so I didn't know what to expect. It was the first time the sides had met in 15 years. It's extremely important to be playing them ahead of next year's World Cup and the World Twenty20. You need to have an idea what to expect so you can prepare. We're used to the Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans and Indians and it's good for world cricket.

I would say it's a good test for both teams. You can't come with any preconceived ideas or plans so therefore you have to play good cricket on the day and the best team will come out. Our team talk was just about focussing on our own game. It was just a case of "We know what we need to do and keep it simple."

We only got one half of the game in on Friday but I thought they bowled in good areas and their fielding was pretty sharp, with some good arms. Then it was nice to finish off with a competent win on Saturday when we bowled them out for 41.

We were definitely clinical and professional with how we approached our cricket with the ball, in the field and with the bat. It was a nice way to start the international summer and things must continue to improve for the next few months and the winter ahead.

Isa (Guha) was amazing with the ball. I know from facing her in the morning before the game she was moving the ball around corners and difficult to handle. She is one of the most disciplined and determined cricketers I have the honour to play with and figures of 5 for 14 demonstrated that.

For me personally I wasn't required to do much on the day. I have been asked if I miss bowling on days like that when the bowlers are cashing in, but not really to be honest. I am just grateful for the opportunity I have in front of me and it is nice to enjoy each others' success, and hopefully this is what will make us into a team to contend with.

It was really good to get the opportunity to open the batting, but by the time Squirt (Sarah Taylor) sunk her teeth into a few boundaries, the 41 required to win was on the board. She hit the best six I have seen all season, back over the bowler's head. Juicy!

The next challenge is South Africa who promise to provide good competition. It's building up to be a great summer.

	"We all make huge sacrifices to play a game we are tremendously passionate about, so any financial remuneration that enables us to free up some of that precious time is an enormous help" © Getty Images

The White Ferns have just finished their second winter camp and boy is it winter. Lincoln in the summer can be freezing at the best of times, and our touring teams will vouch for that, but this past weekend we were treated to snow. For some of the North Island girls it was the first time they had actually seen snow falling! As you can imagine, it was very exciting and naturally the morning run was cancelled and the girls decided to make snowmen instead.

The camp was full of cricket, more cricket, guests and fun. The highlight of the camp would have to been the Ready Steady Cook challenge. It involved everyone being split into three teams and getting a list of ingredients to create their master piece. One group, that I was proud not to be a part of, suffered a series of unfortunate events which led to their main meal tasting like cat food. The other two teams actually made edible food. Steve Jenkin was the only brave soul to eat the cat food meal which for interest's sake consisted of a tuna, asparagus, baked beans and avocado wrap, with a stuffed potato consisting of those ingredients all over again. Hmm, not ideal!

We had the pleasure of Cate Sexton, who was the manager of the White Ferns team that won the World Cup in 2000, speaking to the group. Cate is now the Black Ferns [NZ women's rugby] manager, who are currently the World Champions. She shared her experiences with both successful teams and told us what she believes is the recipe to World Cup victory. From my personal experience Cate is the utmost professional who played a major part in us winning the World Cup in 2000. For me personally, as the only player left from that winning team, it brought back some wonderful memories as well a reminder of how old I am.

We also had the exciting news that Suzie Bates was named in the Tall Ferns [basketball] team to compete at the Beijing Olympics. We are all very proud of her achievement and we wish her the best. She is a talented sportswoman with a massive future in New Zealand sport.

It has been interesting reading about developments in other international teams around the world. I am personally pleased to see the women's game improving in the area of player contracts. It is an exciting time to be involved in the women's game and I too, like Shelley [Nitschke], am at the wrong end of my career. Obviously seeing Australia follow the ECB and I am sure the BCCI will follow, it seems like a natural progression for New Zealand Cricket to address this area for their international women.

As most international amateur sports people can empathise with, it can be extremely stressful working full-time, training like a professional athlete, participating in cricket series and occasionally spending time with your partner, friends and family. We all make huge sacrifices to play a game we are tremendously passionate about, so any financial remuneration that enables us to free up some of that precious time is an enormous help.

The White Ferns have some amazing young talent coming through [especially in the likes of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine], and if we can make cricket a more attractive option through some financial assistance, it will enable NZC to secure their talents for the years to come.

I am currently teaching at Hillmorton High in Christchurch. Ann Brokenshire my Principal and her support staff have been fantastic with juggling my cricket days off. My Head of Department, Melissa Ruscoe is the current captain of the Black Ferns, so Hillmorton High is leading the way in girl power.

New Zealand has a very small population of four million people. We realise that our population is probably the size of a small Indian wedding [Mithali, I know I am one of your 4 million …] and, as a Kiwi, this fact makes me extra proud of our achievements. The White Ferns' World Cup squad have very clear goals in mind and we are extremely driven to fulfill these. We are all proud to wear the silver fern, call ourselves Kiwis and tell everyone our home is New Zealand.

	Shelley Nitschke is driven by the new changes to the women's game © Getty Images

With such a schedule coming up, some may've found it difficult to juggle their employment with their playing commitments. In the past, our ever increasing playing schedule has put pressure on employers, and unfortunately some girls have had to forego their casual positions due to cricket commitments. Looking from the perspective of the employers, it does put them in a difficult position at times.

Although the Cricket Australia contracts won't exactly allow us to resign from our employment roles, they will help alleviate some of these pressures. I guess I have been very lucky in regard to this, working at the South Australian Cricket Association.

While working in cricket, as well as playing, can become a bit of a cricket overload, I have been very well supported with respect to both state and international commitments. Needless to say, all the girls are pretty happy about the concept of contracts, hopefully in time other countries will also follow the lead set by the ECB, and now Cricket Australia.

Next subject - the World Cups! With our pre-season well underway here in Australia, the World Cup in March 2009 will be here before we know it. We have just had a squad camp in Brisbane a few weeks ago, our second for the pre-season following a camp in May at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. The Brisbane camp provided much nicer weather [than in Adelaide], and a chance to get outdoors on some turf wickets. Everyone is pretty excited about the year ahead, with the World Cup in Australia in March and the Twenty20 World Cup in June next year, you can hardly blame us.

We are used to things happening quite slowly in the world of women's cricket, and the common response to a small improvement is often, “Well, at least it's something”. This mentality needs to change.

The Twenty20 World Cup alongside of the men's tournament is a major coup for the women's game. The Twenty20 women's international between Australia and England at the MCG earlier this year played as a curtain raiser to the Australia v India Twenty20 proved a great success and gave us some unprecedented exposure in Australia. Not to mention giving the players the buzz of playing under lights at the MCG in front of around 30,000 people.

Let's hope that the next 12 months can boost the profile of the game, and set the platform for the future of the game. At the moment it appears that it is all happening, something makes me think I am at the wrong end of my career.

	There was not much to celebrate for Ireland in the series against West Indies © ICC

Our first match on June 24 started late due to rain, but only eight overs were lost. Nadine George won the toss and, after a short conference with coach Sherwin Campbell, decided to bowl first. It was a day for bowling, and Ireland’s batting started very slowly. Wickets fell at regular intervals, and apart from Nicki Coffey, who scored 32, the performance was below-par.

Ireland were bowled out for 123, but we knew we were still in with a shout of winning the game. Once I and the other opening bowler, Marianne Herbert, became aware of just how much the ball was swinging, the West Indies top order struggled. Though they were scoring quickly, wickets were also falling regularly. At 32 for 4 from just 8.1 overs, the rain came to save the batting side. By the time we got back we had lost a lot of time. The second innings was reduced to 20 overs, which meant that the two opening bowlers had bowled all of their overs.

Next to bowl were debutants Melissa Scott Hayward and Amy Kenealy. Both struggled in their first overs because of the combined difficulty of the weather and the left and right batting combination. We knew we needed to get an early wicket, and two chances came. One was a catch at long-off, and the other a run out opportunity. Neither chance was taken and West Indies made us pay. They pushed the good balls for singles, and almost every bad ball went for four. Ultimately, that was the difference between the two teams.

Our match on Thursday was rained off, then came the Twenty20 on June 27 – Ireland’s first international in this form of the game.

We bowled after I won my first toss as captain, and started decently, but not before umpire Rodney Molins paid tribute to John Wright. Wright, who was a huge contributor to Irish cricket, and was presented with an ICC Global Award on his retirement, died last week. We had a minute’s silence in his honour before the match.

Once again West Indies lost a few early wickets, but soon Stefanie Taylor got into her stride, making 90 as they powered their way to 184. The Irish opening pair of Coffey and Clare Shillington looked comfortable early on. The tide turned when Coffey didn’t quite commit to a pull, causing her to be caught on the boundary. My sister, Cecelia, batted well to make 41, but that was the highlight of our final score, 109 for 7.

The sun finally came out for our last game on June 29, which was Joanne McKinley’s first match. We batted first, and were starting to get into our stride at 42 for no loss after 14 overs, but once again the ran made an appearance. Cecelia and Emma Beamish looked to have retained their touch when we came back out 50 minutes later. Their partnership was ended by a superb piece of fielding by Taylor, who effected a direct hit at the non-strikers end from point to end Cecelia’s knock of 38. Shillington batted very well for 54 before she was caught. We made it to 163 for 9 after the 50 overs.

Taylor anchored the innings again for her side with 66, and once again West Indies showed their ability to punish the bad ball, and stay disciplined for the good ones. They reached their target after just 35.5 overs with six wickets in hand.

Though it might look like there are too many positives for Ireland to take from this series, that is not the case. The team has changed a lot over the past few months, and a lot of responsibility was put on the shoulders of our inexperienced players. They proved that they are good enough to be playing at international level, and now know exactly what they need to work on to start taking wickets and making runs. I look forward to getting the squad back together again for some training sessions before our next ODI against South Africa in a few weeks' time.