— team here to compete rather than participate — Coach Daniels
Coach of the Leeward Islands women’s team, Percy Daniels, says his team is here to compete rather than participate as he looks forward to a competitive tournament starting today. His side will play their first match of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) women’s tournament against Jamaica at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
“We will want to compete rather than to participate, but one must be cognizant of the fact that the Leeward Island in terms of the women is now embarking on hard ball cricket” said the former Leeward Island batsman.
In previous tournament the Leeward Islands territories played as separate teams, however, they have been integrated for this event, so the coach as well as his team is inexperience at this level and will debut in this tournament against Jamaica. Following their debut match, they will play Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and finally defending champions Barbados.
“Prior to the communication to the Leeward Islands that they have to present or have a team in this women competition most of the girls were playing softball or wind ball cricket. As a result of the information they decided that they would start playing some hard ball
Percy Daniels
competition. Subsequently there was an organized Leewards premier competition and the three territory in that tournament was Antigua, Nevis and St. Kitts, they played about three T20 games along with three 50 over games and from that the team was selected.”
According to Daniels, after the six matches were played a training squad was named to participate in a five day training camp and finally the fourteen member squad was announced.
Relating to the area where he expects his team to excel at, Daniels was keen to state the bowling, but is uncertain of the other areas.”Excel? I don’t think we will excel in most of the areas. What I think will happen; in terms of the bowling most of the players in my opinion show a degree of confidence in that area more than the other areas as it relates to cricket. The batting department would not be as expected because the transformation from softball to this particular game, it does something to even men more so women, especially playing for the first time.”
Nevertheless, Daniels who is also the Leeward Island Hurricanes assistant coach said it is a learning experience for himself and his team, but because of his players’ eagerness he reiterated to what he had earlier said about his team coming here to compete and not to merely participate.
When questioned about the predicted level of competition the tournament is expected to bring due to it being the first regional tournament since the West Indies women won the World T20 and the contrasting pitches in Guyana to those in the Leewards. Daniel said, “I do expect the tournament to be competitive…..Well, in Guyana it will suit us because if you get in on a wicket that is relatively fast it would be a disadvantage to our batters; the slower the ball comes onto them, because of that lack of experience the better is it they would play. So playing in Guyana is a plus in terms of our batting. Again as it relates to our bowling, because we are not fast bowler, as a batsman when you are expecting the ball to be coming fast and it comes slow, it can cause batsmen to misjudge and miss-hook, giving us wickets”, he detailed.
Leeward Islands: Shawnisha Hector (C), Saneldo Willett (VC), Amanda Edwards, Jenisen Richards, Terez Barker, Eldora Sylvester, Sherma Jackson, Grace Persaud, Melicia Clarke, Jasmine Clarke, Davanna Claxton, RozelLiburd, Kimberly Dookhan, and Kerisha Powell. The Manager is Kattian Baltimore and the Coach is Percy Daniel.
The game is scheduled to start at 9:45 hours.
