Campbelle’s return a big boost for West Indies Women, says Lead Selector

— Other Guyanese missed out because ‘selectors got right combination’

By Brandon Corlette

Fresh from a century in the practice match in Antigua, Guyana’s Shemaine Campbelle is set for a grand return to the West Indies Women’s team after recovering from a hand injury. Lead Selector Ann Browne-John has said Campbelle’s return will strengthen the team.

“It is very, very important having Shemaine back, because not only her experienced batting but she is our first-string wicket-keeper. Although we had wicket-keepers while Shemaine has been away, Shemaine now also strengthens our batting and keeping department. She played really good in the scenarios we had, and then she scored a century in the match, so we are quite confident that Shemaine’s return would strengthen the team exceedingly,” Brownde-John has said.
The 29-year-old Berbician Campbelle, who played her last match for West Indies in September 2020, has played a total of 83 Women’s One Day Internationals and 107 Women’s T20 Internationals. To date, Shemaine holds the record for the highest score by a batter at number seven in Women’s ODI.
Furthermore, the Lead Selector has expressed her satisfaction with the team that is currently encamped in Antigua, with Campbelle and Hayley Matthews scoring half-centuries in the practice matches. She also noted that the team is in the right space heading into the upcoming fixtures, despite losing to South Africa in the ODI series, and levelling the T20 series.

“We are happy in terms of where the team is at this point in time. We have people back in the team, the skipper (Stafanie Taylor) which will strengthen the overall team, and we are going to a tournament in which we need to qualify. The team has had the best possible preparation, and we hope we can qualify and go on the World Cup.”
In addition to Campbelle, the other Guyanese in the final squad is Berbician Sheneta Grimmond, while Shabika Gajnabi and Cherry-Ann Fraser are in the reserves. The other Guyanese, Mandy Mangru and Kaysia Schultz, did not make the cut, owing to the combination chosen by the selectors.

“Kaysia is presently in Antigua. She was part of the 20 players who went to Antigua, but she did not make the final 18, and Mandy was not there, she did not make the South Africa series. So, remember when you have a series, there is only a certain number of persons who can be selected, and the selectors would put together the best possible combination of players. Hence the people who are there is the best, the selectors think. Kaysia is there, but not in the final 18,” Lead Selector Browne-John disclosed.
Full Squad: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Anisa Mohammed (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Shakera Selman and Rashada Williams.
Travelling Reserves: Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi and Karishma Ramharack.

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE
1st ODI – November 8 at National Stadium, Karachi
2nd ODI – November 11 at National Stadium, Karachi
3rd ODI – November 14 at National Stadium, Karachi

ICC WOMEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFERS- ZIMBABWE
November 21 to December 5