Claire Taylor tries hand for Canterbury and new skipper Tiffen

England women cricket's leading batsman Claire Taylor is going to try her hand playing for Canterbury in the State League competition this summer.

Taylor, one of the most consistent of England's players over the last two years, and one of their best performers at the CricInfo Women's World Cup at Lincoln University, has been named in a women's trial to be played against Otago at Geraldine at Labour Weekend.

Canterbury has lost more top players and coming on top of the loss of three of its stalwarts of recent history the year before, Debbie Hockley, Catherine Campbell and Katrina Keenan, it is facing another rebuilding year.

Missing from the team, which will be led by new captain Haidee Tiffen, will be Paula Flannery, who has decided to stay overseas, Emily Travers who is taking a break, Delwyn Brownlee and Fiona Fraser, who has decided to stay in Wellington, her home town.

Another English player, Mandie Godliman, a wicket-keeper, started the season in Christchurch but is going to try out for the Wellington team. She has played eight matches for England and along with Taylor, has been named in the side to play in the four-nations series in New Zealand in January, against Australia, New Zealand and India, and then to play in the Ashes series in Australia.

England fast bowler Clare Taylor is to play for Otago again this season while Charlotte Edwards is to play here as well. She played for Northern Districts after the last Women's World Cup.

Tiffen, New Zealand's leading all-rounder, had her position as Canterbury captain announced at tonight's Canterbury season launch. Nicola Payne will be the vice-captain.

Canterbury men's coach Michael Sharpe outlined the work the State Wizards had been doing in the off-season and commented on the extensive back-up the side will have this year with input from New Zealand Cricket Academy personnel Warren Frost and Ashley Ross.

Canterbury chief executive Richard Reid said he had received sign-off from clubs and districts in the province for a new form of competition next summer and said he hoped that people would embrace the system when it was put in place.

He had been very pleased with the way a new points system had been accepted this season, along with new hours of play, and he was sure there would be a wide measure of satisfaction with the changes.

All senior clubs were presented with an allocation of match balls at the opening function which was held at Canterbury Draught's brewery, one of the Canterbury Association's sponsors.