Kingston, Jamaica : All eight teams are looking forward to the start of the historic, inaugural Regional Women’s Twenty20 Tournament, which opens on Wednesday here.
The eight-team tournament will be staged at three venues in and around the Jamaica capital of Kingston – Kensington Park, Chedwin Park and Sabina Park – from Wednesday, August 8 to Saturday, August 18.
The Regional Women’s Twenty20 Tournament will comprise seven rounds of preliminary matches leading into a full slate of playoffs for positions from Champions to eighth place.
The participating teams are: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago and hosts Jamaica, the reigning Regional Women’s Super50 champions.
Jamaica is hosting a major women’s cricket event for the first time and many of the players are looking forward to this new experience.
Host captain Stafanie Taylor have urged her fellow countrymen to come out and support the tournament.
“They know what we are capable of doing,” she said. “They have been hearing about it, but they have not been seeing it, so now they have a chance to come out and see what we women can do.”
Taylor, the World No.1, said her side was more than capable of coping with the pressure to perform on home soil.
“I think we will have plenty support and the girls support me 100 per cent, so I think this will be good for us and we are looking forward to the tournament,” she said.
“We started our preparations late, but I think the girls looked really good, even though we did not have plenty of time leading into the tournament.”
Trinidad & Tobago captain Merissa Aguilleira, the West Indies Women’s captain, said the tournament was timely, considering it has been scheduled just ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 to be staged in Sri Lanka.
“I think it is an important tournament for the players that will be considered for the West Indies Women’s side for the ICC World T20,” she said.
“They will not have a lot of matches leading into the tournament, so the players will have to make good use of this opportunity.
“I want T&T to do well, but I would also like to see some of the other players do well, so we can have a strong, competitive West Indies side for the World T20.”
Dominica captain Rosilia Registe hopes that her side could spring a few surprises in the tournament.
“I think, like every other team, we have a good chance to give a great performance,” she said. “It’s T20 cricket and anything can happen.
“I think we had good preparations for the tournament. We had trial matches, played practice games against the Dominica Under-19 boys side, and there was a lot of physical training, so we are hoping that the hard work pays off for us.”
Registe was particularly looking forward to the clash with Barbados in the first round.
“We always seem to struggle against them, but we will be giving our all to try and topple them this time,” she said. “Jamaica and T&T are the two other sides that will push us hard, but we will look to leave it on the field.”
Grenada captain Afy Fletcher was battling a sore throat, but she did not plan to let that stop her from taking the field.
She too, said Grenada’s chances were even and they too, were looking to cause a few upsets.
“We are pretty OK, we did some training back at home, and we think we have a good enough side and a good chance to be competitive,” she said.
“We have been preparing for about two months. We have had some tournaments here and there, but we are looking forward to playing in Jamaica. This is a sports nation and a place with a rich history in the game.”
Squads:
BARBADOS: Shakera Selman (captain), Kycia Knight (vice captain), Daylight Byron-Toney, Shamilla Connell, Kelia Elliott, Reshelle Griffith, Malissa Howard, Kyshona Knight, Pamela Lavine, Hayley Matthews, Shaquana Quintyne, Danielle Small, Shana Thompson, Aneka White
DOMINICA: Rosilia Registe (captain), Annica Andrew, Annica Benjamin, Bertina Berkitt, Gem Eloi, Pearl Etienne, Joslyn Ferrol, Deborah Frederick, Shanita Graham, Tiffany Graham, Krisani Irish, Annie Leblanc, Kimara Sabaroche
GRENADA: Afy Fletcher (captain), Debbie Ann Lewis (vice captain), Terrisha Antoine, Leslyn Brathwaite, Afya Campbell, Shanthan Charles, Rachel Cyrus, Esther Lewis, Jade Logie, Carena Noel, Akeira Peters, Lena Peters, Anisha Thomas, Rackel Williams
GUYANA: June Ogle (captain), Akaze Thompson (vice captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Tracy Glasgow, Leana Harris, Melanie Henry, Hasena Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Hema Singh, Tremayne Smartt, Latoya Smith, Joanne Vansertima, Prudence Williams
JAMAICA: Stafanie Taylor (captain), Shanel Daley (vice captain), Alecia Bookal, Karla Cohen, Nickesha Gayle, Peta-Gaye Hanson, Chinelle Henry, Natasha McLean, Jodi-Ann Morgan, Chadean Nation, Roshanna Outar, Tameka Sanford, Vanessa Watts, Neisha-Ann Waisome
ST. LUCIA: Roylin Cooper (captain), Yasmin St. Ange (vice captain), Chemeka Abraham, Brendalie Alcide, Solange Aubert, Nerissa Crafton, Teadie Crawford, Ashlene Edward, Sadisha Elizee, Verana Felicien, Paulina Francis, Alexandra Louisy, Marleen Preville, Julia Simon
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES: Cordel Jack (captain), Stacy Ann Adams, Shavone Clarke, Hazelann Foster, Myschia George, Petra Lynch, Clea-Nasira Hoyte, Crystal John, Roshelle John, Sheree Ann John, Vinisha King, Terisha Lavia, Juliana Nero, Latoya Providence
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Merissa Aguilleira (captain), Anisa Mohammed (vice captain), Kirbyina Alexandra, Rackeal Bissoon, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Stacy Ann King, Lee Ann Kirby, Shenel Lord, Alisa Mohammed, Kemara Ragoobar, Amanda Samaroo, Gaitri Seetahal, Felicia Walters
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