KIDDERMINSTER Victoria Cricket Club is preparing for its international debut after their Chester Road home was chosen for a prestigious England Ladies one-day match.

The ladies national team will take on world champions Australia at the town ground on Friday August 19.

Club chairman Norman Broadfield believes it is the first time the club has ever hosted an international fixture.

He said: "It's certainly the first time in recent or even living memory that there has been an international match here so it is a very prestigious occasion.

"I've been involved with the club one way or another for a long time and I certainly can't remember an international game in the past 30 or 40 years.

"It's a great coup for the club to be chosen and

Broadfield understands that Chester Road was selected for the fixture on the recommendation of Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

"We're an outground for Worcestershire and the other two venues chosen for one-day matches are Cheltenham and Gloucester which are the outgrounds for Gloucestershire and Warwickshire.

"I should imagine the ECB have gone to the county and they have put in a good word for us. The quality of our wicket and our square are well known and it's very pleasing that our facilities will be used for international cricket."

Kidderminster are now hoping to take delivery of four new ECB funded artificial nets in time for the match with the existing nets falling into a state of disrepair.

Broadfield added that it was an exciting time for the club, adding: "Things are looking good at the moment.

"We've got the international match, the first team doing well and hopefully pushing for promotion and a thriving junior section, so long may it continue."

For advance tickets for the 2005 NatWest Women's Series one-day international at Chester Road call 020 7432 1200 or visit www.ecb.co.uk/tickets