The wizards of Oz

Alex Blackwell will play for the Rubies in the forthcoming Super 4s competition

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Head of Women's Cricket Clare Connor says the inclusion of Australian duo Alex Blackwell and Leah Poulton for the forthcoming Super 4s tournament will raise the standard of play.

The two internationals will line up alongside the best players in England over the coming weeks as new head coach Mark Lane begins his preparations for the impending battles with South Africa and India.

In total 53 players will be divided up into four teams - Sapphires, Diamonds, Emeralds and Rubies - for the tournament that begins on Bank Holiday Monday with a Twenty20 competition.

The sides will then face each other in a 50-over league which kicks off on Saturday 31 May.

Blackwell, who cracked a ton against England in February, will line-up for the Rubies while fellow Australian Poulton will play for the Sapphires.

"In order to add an extra dimension to our elite Super 4s competition for 2008, I invited the top eight countries in the women's game to nominate any of their players to come and play in it," explained Connor.

"We had two excellent nominations from Australia which we accepted in January. All our players are excited about what Alex Blackwell and Leah Poulton will bring to the competition - both have scored centuries for Australia."

Australia's Leah Poulton will play for the Sapphires when the Super 4s starts on Monday

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Twenty-four year old Blackwell has played six Tests for her country and 47 One-Day Internationals where she has blossomed of late, averaging more than 47 in her last eight innings - a run of form which began when she took 101 off the England attack in Melbourne.

Poulton, also 24, has played nine ODIs for Australia, peaking when she scored 101 against New Zealand on her third appearance for her country.

Connor is delighted to have both players involved as England's international programme looms and expects to see more foreign players gracing the Super 4s in the future.

"With some of our England players regularly playing in Australia during our winters, this is also an important initiative in terms of fostering strong relations with Cricket Australia," she said.

"We look forward to welcoming players from other countries to the Super 4s tournament in 2009."

The teams:

Sapphires: Alexia Walker (capt), Rosalie Birch, Kathryn Brunt, Katie Cross, Kathryn Doherty, Lauren Griffiths (WK), Jenny Halstead, Danielle Hazell, Rochelle Petty, Leah Poulton (AUS), Dawn Prestidge, Laura Spragg, Claire Taylor. Coach: Paul Shaw.

Diamonds: Charlotte Edwards (capt), Lynsey Askew, Karen Baker (WK), Sarah Bartlett, Tamsin Beaumont, Georgia Elwiss, Lydia Greenway, Izzy Westbury, Charlotte Horton, Beth Morgan, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Charlie Russell, Anna Stevenson. Coach: John Stock.

Emeralds: Nicky Shaw (capt), Salliann Briggs, Kelly Evenson, Daisy Gardner, Jenny Gunn, Laura Joyce, Hannah Lloyd, Laura Marsh, Nicky Myers, Sarah Taylor (WK), Jasmine Titmus, Jo Watts, Beth Wild, Danielle Wyatt. Coach: Vince Wells.

Rubies: Gill Richards (capt), Caroline Atkins, Alex Blackwell (Aus), Hannah Burr, Holly Colvin, Steph Davies, Isa Guha, Natalie Lane, Sophie Le Marchand (WK), Kate Oakenfold, Anya Shrubsole, Amanda Potgieter, Becky Williams. Coach: Andrew Hobday.

Reserves: Laura Boorman, Sarah Clarke, Jo Cook, Laura Croft, Heather Knight, Steph Masters, Emma Plush, Laura Thompson.

Click here (44 KB) to see the Super 4s fixtures.