New Zealand's Suzie Bates believes it is about time the White Ferns took home an ICC trophy having reached both the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2009 and the ICC World Twenty20 2009 - losing both times to England.

"Obviously our plan this year is to win the tournament, it was great last year to make two finals but it was just as disappointing to lose to England twice but I think with this team we've got a core of a group that played in both those finals. We've played two finals and lost two finals and it's about time for us to learn from our mistakes. You can't buy experience like that and for us to have been through two defeats like that is something that has definitely made us stronger and hopefully we'll get one up this time round in the West Indies," she said.

Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel (NSP) has today announced Queensland fast bowler Ryan Harris will replace the injured Brett Lee in Australia's 15-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20 following confirmation from the ICC's event technical committee.

Lee suffered soreness in his right elbow following Australia's first warm-up game against Zimbabwe today in St Lucia. Sadly for the superstar, he looked very sharp in his spell, bowling 4 over for just 13 runs and picking up a wicket too, in what turned out to be a losing performance (read more).

Australian physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: "During yesterday's game against Zimbabwe Brett developed increasing right elbow pain and by the time he completed his final over the pain was significant.

England Captain Charlotte Edwards is looking forward to defending the title and especially in the West Indies a place she feels in ideal for this type of competition.
England currently holds the ICC Women's World Twenty20 having won the inaugural tournament in England last year. Captain Charlotte Edwards is looking forward to defending the title and especially in the West Indies a place she feels in ideal for this type of competition.

The 30-year-old has played in 22 Twenty20 Internationals for her country and believes the mixture of experience and youth in the side will be key for retaining the trophy.

Eighteen-year-old Barbadian Deandra Dottin is a hard-hitting right hand batter who is ready to pile on the runs for the host nation in the ICC Women's World Twenty20. The tournament's group stages are being played at Warner Park on St Kitts and Dottin is eager to show the Caribbean islands and the world what the West Indies women team is made of.

"We're all excited about the tournament and I feel good about us hosting the tournament. I think that the West Indies has a lot to offer with both our batting and bowling and there are a large amount of players who are key to our success in recent months. I definitely think Stafanie Taylor will be one to watch and Stacey-Ann King and I also think spectators should keep an eye out for me too - I'm not saying we're the only three we've got a lot of players who can do really well in this format," she said.

Ireland lost their final warm-up game of the ICC World Twenty20 to their arch nemesis Afghanistan. The margin of defeat was five wickets as the Afghans passed their target of 134 with three balls to spare.

That didn't look likely as a disciplined Irish attack had reduced them to 71 for 4 with just six overs remaining. Gary Kidd bowled the 15th, and from his first ball Asghar Stanikzai was dropped by Nigel Jones on the long-on boundary - a hard chance, but what made it worse for Kidd was the fact that it was parried over the boundary rope for six.

South Africa scored an exciting five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka with three balls to spare in their opening practice match at Kensington Oval on Wednesday in preparation for the ICC World Twenty20.

Both sides rested a number of players who had been involved in the Indian Premier League. The Sri Lankans were without three key bowlers in Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga and Ajantha Mendis while the Proteas gave Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Albie Morkel and JP Duminy a break. All four were involved in the semi-final stage of the IPL.