The Bay of Plenty women's cricket team has its first defence of the Northern Districts Championship Trophy that they won last season this weekend.

This season the ND trophy format has changed to a challenge trophy, with Bay of Plenty putting the ND silverware on the line against Poverty Bay this weekend.

On Saturday the two sides will play a Twenty20 opener, before engaging in a 40 over encounter with the ND trophy at stake on Sunday.

Bay of Plenty will put a strong line-up on the field at the Bay of Plenty Cricket Oval at Blake Park, Mount Maunganui.

Bay captain Emily Wilson has been regular in the Northern Spirit in recent seasons and always leads from the front.

Another Northern Spirit player is Anna Peterson, who has been selected for the New Zealand Women's Emerging players in the last two seasons.

Jacinta Coleman, who was one of the batting stars of the National Women's Development tournament, complements a strong Bay of Plenty line-up.

There is also an abundance of promising youth in the Bay team. Kate Anderson, Jacinta Coleman, Tia Robinson and Piki Tai, were all members of the all-conquering Bay of Plenty Secondary Schoolgirls team that dominated the ND tournament in December 2011.

Bay of Plenty Women's Team v Poverty Bay @ BOP Cricket Oval, Mount Maunganui

Emily Wilson (captain) Kate Anderson, Jacinta Coleman, Jen Cowley, Emily Durbin, Anna Henson, Alana Lloyd, Megan Murhpy, Anna Peterson, Tia Robinson, Piki Tai, Sarah Steenson.