England Women to tour NZ in February 2015

England Women will tour New Zealand for five ODIs and three T20s between February 11 and 28, 2015.

The first three ODIs between England Women and New Zealand Women will be part of the second round of the ICC Women's Championship, which was introduced as a preliminary qualifying stage for the 2017 Women's World Cup. The three matches will be held at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on February 11, 13 and 15, after which the T20 series will be played. The last two ODIs will be played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln on February 26 and 28.

The first two games of the three-match T20 series will be played on February 19 and 20 at the Cobham Oval in Whangarei, while the third match will be played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on February 24.

England Women had last toured New Zealand in February-March 2012, and were undefeated in the five-match T20 series and in the three ODIs. Hamish Barton, the New Zealand Women's coach, said his side would target a different result in the forthcoming series.

"We know England is an incredibly strong side with some of the best players in the world, but that makes the opportunity all the more exciting for us," said Barton. "Our aim is to be the No.1 side in the world and to do that we have to beat teams like England. We absolutely believe that if we play to our potential then we can achieve that."

England Women recently won an ODI series against India Women at home and are scheduled to play three T20s against South Africa Women in September. New Zealand Women will begin their first leg of the ICC Women's Championship on their tour to the West Indies in September.