Windies Women Cricket Thread.

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Windies women start preparation following COVID-19 testing.
T&T Guardian Reports.

DERBY, England — West Indies Women were awaiting the results of COVID-19 tests after arriving in England on Monday for their five-match Twenty20 International series against England bowling off later next month.

The touring party, comprising 18 players and a 12-member management unit, were all tested prior to departing the Caribbean and once the second tests are also negative, will begin their preparation in a bio-secure “bubble” identical to the setup that obtained for the recent men’s tour.

“[The hotel] is well thought out [and] well laid out. We had a briefing around the protocols and so on,” head coach Andre Coley said following the side’s arrival.

“We had our first COVID tests so we’re awaiting the results of those as well as issuing some equipment and gear, and we’ll start our recovery from tomorrow.

“The players are in good spirits, everybody is fine – management staff as well. We’re looking to get ready to get on the park.”

West Indies will take on England behind closed doors in the series which runs from September 21-30 at the Incora County Ground here, and which replaces scheduled tours by South Africa and India.

The series takes place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and signals the return of women’s cricket to the international schedule since all cricket was suspended globally last March due to the outbreak.

The United Kingdom has been hard hit by COVID-19 with over 336,000 cases and 41,500 deaths, but the country has slowly begun to reopen following months of lockdown.

For West Indies, the series will be the first bilateral fixture in nearly a year, following their series against India in the Caribbean last November.

West Indies will be led by regular captain Stafanie Taylor but will miss veteran off-spinner and vice-captain Anisa Mohammed after the T&T native opted out due to COVID-19 concerns.

SQUAD – Stafanie Taylor, Afy Fletcher, Hayley Matthews, Aaliyah Alleyne, Cherry Ann Fraser, Natasha Mclean, Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Chedean Nation, Britney Cooper, Sheneta Grimmond, Karishma Ramharack, Shamilia Connell, Chinelle Henry, Kaysia Schultz, Deandra Dottin, Lee Ann Kirby, Shakera Selman.


West Indies women arrive at practice in Derby ahead of their five-match T20I series against England on September 21. Among the players, Chedean Nation, second from left, Britney Cooper, middle, fast-bowler Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman, right. The Windies Women will begin the first match of the series on September 21.

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Legend Walsh appointed head coach
T&T Guardian Reports.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Legendary fast bowler, Courtney Walsh has been appointed head coach of West Indies Women on Thursday, just 24 hours after they suffered a chastening 5-0 whitewash at the hands of England.

The 57-year-old, a former Bangladesh bowling coach, served as assistant coach for West Indies Women during their Twenty20 World Cup campaign in Australia earlier this year but did not feature as part of the management staff on the recent England tour.

Walsh said he expected a smooth transition especially since he had worked with the Caribbean side in the recent past.

“This is indeed an honour to be named as the new head coach. It’s an exciting challenge and I’ve always wanted to give back in any way I can and help with the development of the game in the West Indies,” Walsh said Thursday.

“The experience I have, my knowledge of the game, and my overall organisational skills will be key aspects as we try to develop a winning team culture.

“I worked with the team at the Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year in Australia and in the series against India in the Caribbean last year, so I have a very good understanding of what is required.

“The ability and the talent are there, we have some fantastic players in the West Indies, and it will be my duty and focus to help the women to develop their talents and achieve the goals we are going to be setting together.”

Walsh replaces Jamaican Andre Coley who presided over the recent five-match Twenty20 International series against England.

Former West Indies batsman and men’s head coach, Gus Logie, was appointed interim head coach last October and led the Stafanie Taylor-captained unit to the T20 World Cup.

Cricket West Indies’ director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, backed Walsh – a former Jamaica and West Indies teammate – to add value to the women’s programme.

“I am delighted to have Courtney leading our international women’s programme having successfully come through CWI’s recruitment process,” said Adams.

“He will be overseeing the programme initially until the end of the next two ICC Women’s World Cups in 2022 and he will be pivotal in working with CWI’s High Performance Team to move our whole women’s programme forward, as part of our wider strategic plan which has Women’s cricket as a key priority.”

Walsh, the leading wicket-taker in Tests for West Indies with 519 wickets from 132 matches, is also a former senior team selector and Under-19 manager.

However, he takes over a women’s side that has struggled in recent years, despite winning the T20 World Cup in India four years ago.

Wednesday’s defeat to England was their third straight T20 series whitewash, leaving them with 13 defeats in as many recent outings.

Their One-Day International form has also been wretched with just one series win in the last four years and six wins in their last 20 internationals.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, England Women recorded a three-wicket victory in a five-over affair of the fifth match to hand West Indies their third consecutive series whitewash in Twenty20 Internationals in England.

For the Caribbean side, the series defeat was their second 5-0 whitewash following their hammering at the hands of Australia last November, and they have now lost all of their last 13 T20 Internationals. - (CMC)

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Mohammed, Ramharack named in Windies Women's World Cup squad
T&T NEWSDAY REPORTER

STAFANIE TAYLOR, one of top all-rounders in women's cricket, will lead a 15-member West Indies Women squad at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, which will take place in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.

Veteran Trinidad and Tobago off-spinner Anisa Mohammed is the team's vice-captain, and she will be competing in her fifth Cricket World Cup.

The squad includes a few exciting young players who will be competing at the marquee event for the first time, such as TT's off-spinner Karishma Ramharack, fast bowler Aaliyah Alleyne, seamer Cherry Ann Fraser, allrounder Chinelle Henry and opening batter Rashada Williams.

The 15-member squad will be joined by three travelling reserves - Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru and Jannillea Glasgow, as per the ICC’s medical protocols for the tournament.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) lead selector for women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said, “The squad selected shows a blend of youth and experience. We have Anisa Mohammed who’s playing in her fifth World Cup and will help guide the younger ones selected. We have five players who have had their maiden Cricket World Cup selection.

"The team just completed a series against South Africa where the players got good preparation before the tournament," she added. "There were some relatively good showings with a few players having outstanding performances and it is expected that they would raise their levels even further during the competition. Afy Fletcher’s return strengthens the bowling department as she continues to be a world class leg-spinner.”

The eight-team tournament will start with a group stage round, where all teams play each other once before the top four sides compete in the semi-finals and final.

The West Indies Women will open their title chase against hosts New Zealand on March 4 at Bay Oval in Tauranga. Their seventh and final match of the group stage is against South Africa on March 24 at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Semi-final one will be played on March 30 at Basin Reserve in Wellington with semi-final 2 on March 31 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The final will be played on April 3 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

SQUAD: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Anisa Mohammed (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman, Rashada Williams.

Travelling Reserves - Kaysia Schultz, Mandy Mangru, Jannillea Glasgow.


Karishma Ramharack -