New Zealand Cricket has announced its 2001 intake of players for its Cricket Academy at Lincoln University.

Fourteen boys and four girls make up the intake.

Six of the boys were members of the New Zealand Under-19 team which beat South Africa in their Youth Test and One-Day International series last month, while six of them also went to Sri Lanka last summer for the Youth World Cup.

Eight of the players have limited first-class experience.

The girls, who are involved in an academic programme at Lincoln University, which will be their priority for the year, have been chosen with a view to their being replacement players for those CLEAR White Ferns who have retired after their success in winning the CricInfo Women's World Cup. They are likely to be considered for the White Ferns tour to India later in the year.

The intake is: Brent Arnel (Northern Districts) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium fast bowler; Sarah Burke (Canterbury) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium bowler; Wade Cornelius (Canterbury) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast bowler; Fiona Fraser (Canterbury) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium bowler; Philippa Gerrish (Central Districts) left-hand batsman, right-arm leg spin bowler; Nick Horsley (Auckland) left-hand batsman, right-arm off spin bowler; Jamie How (Central Districts) right-hand batsman; Aimee Mason (Central Districts) left-hand batsman, right-arm off spinner; Brendon McCullum (Otago) right-hand batsman, wicket-keeper; Nathan McCullum (Otago) right-hand bat, right-arm off spinner; Jonathan McNamee (Wellington) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium bowler; Warren McSkimming (Otago) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast bowler; Shanan Stewart (Canterbury) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast bowler; Taraia Robin (Central Districts) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast bowler; Greg Todd (Central Districts) left-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast; Sam Whiteman (Auckland) right-hand batsman, right-arm medium-fast; Luke Woodcock (Wellington) left-hand batsman, left-arm spin bowler; Reece Young (Auckland) right-hand batsman, wicket-keeper.

The director of the Cricket Academy, Dayle Hadlee said today the intake was an exciting group of players with several quality players involved and some on whom a punt has been taken.

"They look to us to have the talent but have not performed consistently and we want to address that," he said.

The players join the Academy on April 17 and on April 19 the boys will leave for Adelaide for a series of two and one-day matches against the Australian Academy.

These games will be part of a proficiency tour involving the on-field performance of players being assessed both by New Zealand Cricket's computer analysis expert Zach Hitchcock and Hadlee and director of player development Ashley Ross.

This will form the basis of the work to be done at the Academy during the year.

Hadlee was hopeful that the Australians will return New Zealand's visit in October and that there might also be an inter-academy exchange with South Africa, but that is still to be discussed.

© CricInfo