Windies women prep for Sri Lanka

West Indies women’s team coach Sherwin Campbell (l) and captain Merissa Aguilleira discussing strategy during the camp. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)

Fri, April 20, 2012 - 12:03 AM

The West Indies women cricketers have been putting in the work at a preparatory camp at the 3Ws Oval the target of bettering Sri Lanka in the upcoming home series.

Coach Sherwin Campbell expressed great satisfaction with the camp where the emphasis has been on the batting in view of dealing with the expected slow bowling from the Asian team.

“The team has been working extremely hard on their batting skills as we believe that our bowling and fielding levels have been consistently high,” said the former Windies opener.

“We enjoyed a good series against India, and with Sri Lanka being ranked lower than India we need to do well in this series in order to raise our ICC ranking,” said Campbell.

“All of the players have been working towards that objective and of course vice-captain Stefanie Taylor will want to maintain her world ranking as an all-rounder and a batter and Deandra Dottin has been moving up the ranks,” added Campbell.

Captain Merissa Aguilleira said that the performance of the Windies men’s team did not impact on them since they recognized what they needed to do and they set about to keep their focus to do their job.

However, Campbell said that they also knew of the importance of cricket to the West Indies people and they wanted all West Indies teams to do well and provide moral support for each other while giving the Caribbean people great pride.

The camp will end this weekend with the first round of matches taking place in Barbados with three One-Day internationals being played on April 25, 27 and 29.

The teams will switch gears from May with Twenty20s being played on May 1 and 2 here.

The Windies and Sri Lanka will then rejoin in Twenty20 battle on May 6, 7 and 9 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Nineteen year-old Amanda Samaroo returns to the team after a three-year absence while 17-year-old Jamaican wicketkeeper/batter Natasha McLean makes her debut in the squad.

Three players from the recent engagements who are missing from the squad are Britney Cooper, who has a finger injury and Bajans Kycia Knight and Shaquanna Quintynen who have exams commitments. (KB)

Squad – Merissa Aguilleira, Stefanie Taylor, Shermaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Pearl Etienne, Stacy-Ann King, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Juliana Nero, Shakera Selman, Treymayne Smart and Amanda Samaroo.