Women's T20 cricket and 3x3 basketball will debut at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and one New Zealand athlete - dual international Suzie Bates - knows a bit about both.
Suzie Bates playing for the Tall Ferns in 2009. Photo: Photosport
Bates is representing the White Ferns in the milestone event for cricket but in 2008 she was playing at the Olympics with the Tall Ferns.
With a few links to the 3x3 squads in Birmingham, Bates is taking a keen interest on what is happening on the courts 3 kilometres away from the Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
Bates' Beijing Olympics team-mate Jillian Harmon is representing the 3x3 Tall Ferns, so is Kalani Purcell who is the younger sister of two of Bates' really good friends and fellow Otago athlete Richie Rodger - who was a late addition to the men's team - is another person that Bates wants to watch when she's not busy with her own games.
Jillian Harmon will be part of the first 3x3 basketball programme at the Commonwealth Games. Photo: FIBA
Bates is the longest-serving member of the New Zealand cricket team at the Games can see some parallels between the pathways the shorter formats of both sports have taken.
"I think there is actually some similarities of 50-over cricket and basketball versus the T20 and 3x3.
"When T20 cricket first started people turned their noses up at it as just a bit of hit and giggle but now people take it very seriously and I think that is the same with 3x3 basketball when you watch it how fast it is and the skill level, the entertainment, it's a bit like sevens rugby too it's just a shorter format and it is only going to grow and grow and it's exciting for basketball because there is more opportunities to be professional and that's what's happened with cricket."
Suzie Bates and the White Ferns will be back in action in Birmingham. Photo: PHOTSPORT
For Bates and the new-look White Ferns side the T20 matches in Birmingham will be the first competitive games New Zealand has played since the home world cup.
"We are I guess still finding our feet on where everyone fits but with that youth and enthusiasm they come with no fear or no baggage and we just don't know what they can do at this level which is cool.
"We understand as senior players that in the World Cup in pinnacle moments we didn't stand up and now we've got another opportunity, so it is still up to the leaders of this team to make sure we stand up when it counts."
White Ferns coach Ben Sawyer has been in the job eight weeks and hopes his influence will be on show in Birmingham.
"I've really tried to work with the bowlers and we've got Sara McGlashan and Bob Carter who have been outstanding with the batting and the [batters] are going really, really well at the moment, so I hope you'll see a little bit with the bowling and especially with the quicks and even in terms of the roles that each of the girls plays that's really what we've been focusing on."
The audition to be the White Ferns' new first choice wicketkeeper is going to down to the wire.
Katey Martin has left a hole to fill behind the stumps for the New Zealand team. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Long-time keeper Katey Martin retired after the World Cup and New Zealand needs a new woman behind the stumps.
Sawyer says the battle between Izzy Gaze and Jess McFadyen to put on the gloves for their opening match of the Commonwealth Games could go either way.
"They're both very very capable players and they've pretty much shared the load in all the practice matches and we've got one more big training session and then we'll sit down and select the team then and announce it before the last session."
The White Ferns first game is against South Africa is on Saturday - the same day the New Zealand men's and women's 3x3 basketball teams open their campaigns against England.