Two of the Bay of Plenty's leading ladies of cricket are hoping the upcoming ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, which begins in Mount Maunganui next week, will inspire the next generation.

The tournament begins on Friday, March 4, with host nation New Zealand taking on the West Indies in the opening fixture at the Bay Oval.

The tournament has perhaps come too soon in the fledgling career of 19-year-old White Ferns hopeful Nensi Patel.

The Northern Districts representative began her cricketing journey after being convinced to play for the boys' team at Tauranga Primary School. She then went on to become a cricket standout with Tauranga Girls' College.

Now, she has high hopes of one day stepping out to the crease with New Zealand and it was a primary school trip to the Bay Oval that first ignited that dream.

'I had gone to an event for the White Ferns and met some of the current and former White Ferns there,” Nensi recalls.

'I don't remember much of the day but I do remember getting all their signatures and thinking that one day I will play against or alongside them.

'Now I have and that has been really cool for me but that is really where the urge to play for New Zealand really kicked in.”

Nensi remembers meeting White Ferns heroes Suzie Bates and Amy Satterthwaite that day, contemporaries of another BOP cricket product, Anna Peterson.

Anna, a former pupil at St Mary's Primary and Aquinas College, played much of her formative cricket at the Blake Park venue and went on to play more than 60 times across different formats for the White Ferns.

The tournament's delay from an original 2020 date due to Covid-19 means it has come too late for Anna, who retired from international cricket last October.

But she feels this is just the 'kickstart” to an important couple of years for women's sport in NZ, with rugby and football World Cups also coming in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

'The whole World Cup vibe is going to be brilliant,” says Anna.

'I remember when the Cricket World Cup was here in 2000 and watching NZ win that final. That stayed with me for a real long-time.”

Nensi was not even born when NZ beat Australia in that thrilling final at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval more than 20 years ago. However, she still understands how inspiring hosting such an event can be.

'Having the world's best cricketers in NZ for a whole month will definitely spark some hearts,” says Nensi.

'I feel that this World Cup will be something that young girls feed off, which will have a big influence on their cricketing careers as well.

'It is also a great opportunity for maybe a replay of the World Cup from two decades ago.”

Nensi is hopeful of getting along to watch some of the action at the Bay Oval. Anna, if she can get time off work, hopes to visit her 'favourite ground” from her home in Auckland

'I'll probably be looking to get down for the games,” says Anna, who is looking forward to enjoying the tournament as a fan.

'It is beautiful. I reckon, along with Queenstown, you have not got a more picturesque ground.”

A total of seven World Cup games will take place at the Bay Oval including big fixtures such as Pakistan v India on March 6, England v South Africa on March 14 and England v India on March 16. For more information, visit www.cricketworldcup.com