Windies Women ready to embrace tough challenge against England

– Second opening slot a concern

The three-match T20 International Series in Ireland has been concluded, and Windies Women will now set their sights on defending the 50-Over World Cup Championship in England.

Having completed a clean sweep against the weary Ireland team, the Windies Women will play their opening match on June 6, 2019 against England.
The Windies Women have had many positive results in the series against Ireland; but Deandra Dottin’s replacement, Britney Cooper, has had a worrying series with the bat, scoring 17, 20 and 10 in dull moments for the Windies Women throughout the series.
Guyanese specialist opener Sheneta Grimmond was overlooked for this tour, as she was involved in the training camps only; and
Cooper, who is not a specialist opener for Trinidad and Tobago, played an unfamiliar role in the team that had Jamaican specialist opener Natasha McLean.
Heading into the series against England, West Indies will be eyeing return of the versatile Dottin from injury, or the second slot opener to partner Hayley Matthews would have to step up her game.
The Stafanie Taylor-led Windies team will meet England in three ODIs and three T20Is between June 6 and June 25. In the just concluded Ireland T20 Series, Matthews was adjudged “player of the series” for the 143 runs she scored from three innings at a strike rate of more than 140. At age 21, Matthews has already recorded a career best 107, and was the second woman player from the West Indies, after Deandra Dottin, to score a century in T20 cricket.
Ireland’s Kim Garth came to the table with 142 runs in her three innings, while her team mate Mary Waldron scored 86 runs.
Windward Islands leg-spinner Afy Fletcher finished the series with the most wickets. She had six wickets to her name, and had conceded only 59 runs in the 70 balls she bowled across the series.
Garth, Ireland’s utility player, had four wickets, while Stacy Ann King enjoyed her return to the West Indies team with three wickets. The England Women are much stronger opponents, being currently ranked number two in the World (in both ODI and T20I) and are the defending champions in the 50-Over World Cup.
The number six-ranked Caribbean team will enter the Englishwomen’s backyard with eyes set on qualification to the 2021 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. England Women will again be led by Heather Knight, the World Cup winning captain, and senior players Katherine Brunt, Sarah Taylor and Tamsin Beaumont. (Brandon Corlette)