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.

No players this year went to England to play but we definitely will be sending some in the future. Suzie Bates had a short playing stint over in New South Wales, Australia. Playing Australia in their own backyard will be a challenge but it is one we are definitely up for. I have, in my 10 years of international cricket, played Australia the most. They have always been tough competition and a side with talented youngsters. We enjoy playing them and the two sides love to battle. I’d say the current New Zealand team is a well balanced side of youth and experience. We too have talented youngsters who will have an impact on the international arena. We have certainly got girls who are athletic and can bounce the ball and smack it to all parts. We are just looking forward to getting started.

To have two World Cup tournaments in a year is massive for our game, the development of it and the promotion of it. We have already at home had media interest and having the games televised will only do the game the better. I think the Twenty20 format of the game is the best way we can promote the game and showcase the skills that the women do have. The interest in Twenty20 cricket for the men globally is massive and to have our Twenty20 World Cup alongside the men can only be a good thing. I am sure all the teams competing in these two tournaments are just as excited as we are.

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.

The Australian tour was also the first in three years that I was not captain of the Indian team. But I can honestly tell you it did not affect my playing. I continued to bat in the same position and fulfill the responsibilities that come with being a senior player.

I hope we rediscover our mojo by the time the World Cup starts. The team that reached the 2005 final had been playing together for two years and had really gelled well on and off the field. I’d say that was key to our success then.

One setback we have faced in our preparation this time is that we are playing two-day cricket before heading to Australia. Our 50-over matches were completed earlier and that means we go to the World Cup not having had enough opportunities to practice our one-day shots. What would have been ideal are more tournaments like the Challenger Series – where the level of competition is not skewed.

I am now heading to Bangalore for a camp for the World Cup probables. The final squad is expected to be announced on January 31. This year will be a big one for women’s cricket with two World Cups. We have a chance to raise the game’s profile and an opportunity to make a mark and give the BCCI good reason to extend more facilities to women.

	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.