CWI Media
The region’s best Under-19 women’s cricketers will assemble in Trinidad for the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s U19s Rising Stars T20 Championship, with matches being played from Tuesday, July 5 to Wednesday, July 13, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) and the Diego Martin Sporting Complex (DMSC).
The six regional franchise teams will be participating, as well as the United States of America Women’s U19s team.
At the end of the tournament, a West Indies Women’s U19s Rising Stars squad will be selected for a proposed international U19 series against the United States in Lauderhill, Florida in early August.
Additionally, players will be looking to put in strong performances in order to be considered for selection for the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 World Cup in South Africa, scheduled for January 2023.
Several of the franchise squads feature players who have had experience at the senior regional or international level.
Trishan Holder and Naijanni Cumberbatch recently competed for Barbados in the T20 Blaze and CG United Super50 Cup, as well as Ashmini Munisar for Guyana and Djenaba Joseph for Trinidad & Tobago. The Windward Islands are in a unique position as two of their players have been part of the West Indies Women’s Senior team and A teams in the past year.
Jannellia Glasgow was a travelling reserve with the team to South Africa and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, while skipper Zaida James was a member of the West Indies Women’s A Team that hosted Pakistan Women’s A team in 2021.
”The inaugural ICC U19 Women's World Cup in South Africa 2023 is a significant global event in the continued pathway development of women's cricket. This event will provide an opportunity for girls to develop and showcase their skills,” said Lead Women Selector Anne Browne-John.
“This year's U19s Rising Stars tournament is an important step towards this goal. It will not only provide an opportunity for players to be part of West Indies Women’s history as we prepare for the World Cup, but also present a wider pool of Rising Stars to be developed to ensure a bright future for the senior West Indies Women’s team.”
Tournament Director and former West Indies Women’s captain Merissa Aguilleira said the tournament will be key to exposing talent at the international level.
“This tournament is very important knowing that we have the first ever ICC Women’s U19 World Cup next year in South Africa to look forward to. Exposing this pool of players to the international level will feed into the senior players’ pool, which is currently small, ultimately leading to an improvement of competitiveness for spots on the West Indies Women’s team,” Aguilleira said.
”The players are excited to start the competition, they’ve been very enthusiastic about the tournament. The addition of Team USA will add healthy competition for the regional teams. I am happy to see USA cricket making this investment in women’s cricket and must commend CWI for inviting them as part of their continued wider long-term strategic partnership.”
Meanwhile, USA Cricket Board Member and Women and Girls Committee Chair, Nadia Gruny said her country is thrilled to be participating in the tournament.
“We’re very excited that our U19s are a part of the U19s Rising Stars T20 Championship as part of our preparation for the first ever U19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa, which is only six months away now,” she said.
“We’re happy to continue building on our strong relationship with Cricket West Indies. Our USA men have enjoyed participation in CWI’s regional competitions in the past and we’re pleased that for the very first time, we’re able to provide this opportunity to our young women at this time.”
The CWI Women’s U19s Rising Stars tournament is part of CWI’s “Summer of Cricket” featuring matches at all levels from June to September. The event will see three matches per venue each day, at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex starting at 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica Time) and at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy starting at 10 am (9 am Jamaica Time) and 2:30 pm (1:30 pm Jamaica Time). LIVE ball-by-ball scoring of each game will be available through the www.windiescricket.com match centre. CWI will be live streaming two featured matches per day via the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.
FULL SQUADS
BARBADOS: Trishan Holder (Captain), Elecia Bowman, Eboni Brathwaite, Gleneisha Cadogan, Asabi Callender, Zaliya Campbell, Dicoreya Collymore, Naijanni Cumberbatch, Erin Deane, Theanny Herbert-Mayers, Solange Holford, Krisanne Howell, Camia Matthew-Brome, Nia Wood.
GUYANA: Ashmini Munisar (Captain), Realeanna Grimmond, Sarah Amin, Naomi Barkoye, Melanie Dover, Niveena Ramnauth, Lavina Ragobeer, Leah Kamalall, Crystal Durant, Trisha Hardat, Lakshmi Mahadeo, Darshanie Subramanie, Jamie Campbell, Cyanna Retemiah
JAMAICA: Jaunel Deers (Captain), Brianna Plummer, Kerry-Ann Spencer, Tianna Samuels, Tasha-Gaye Gordon, Kimarie Campbell, Kate Wilmot, Kade Wilmot, Chrishana McKenzie, Breanna Gordon, Judeen Ebanks, Lena Scott, Gabrielle Bryan, Aneisha Miller.
LEEWARD ISLANDS: Latchmi Cyril (Captain), Kimberly Anthony, Shelliqua Carmichael, Berniecia Huggins, Jahzara Claxton, Trishanie Warner, Sarah Ghandeo, J’Cazenique Hodge, Carlisa Pluck, Gabrielle Harrylall, Johanna Humphreys, Ruchira Daly, Sheanna Wallace, Courtney Browne.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Shalini Samaroo, Ameila Khan, Aniaya Roberts, Arianne Neaves, Djenaba Joseph, KD Jazz Mitchell, Katrina Ruben, Kenika Cassar, Kiara Ruben, Kirah Manpaul, Maria La Foucade, Samara Ramnath, Shunelle Sawh, Zakiyah Harrilal.
USA: Geetika Kodali (Captain), Anika Kolan, Chetnaa Prasad, Bhumika Bhadriraju, Disha Dhingra, Isani Vaghela, Jivana Aras, Laasya Mullapudi, Lisa Ramjit, Mitali Patwardhan, Suhani Thadani, Snigdha Paul, Tya Gonsalves, Sai Tanmayi Eyyunni.
WINDWARD ISLANDS: Zaida James (Captain), Selena Ross, Destiny Edward, Namiah Marcellin, Crisa Smith, Neisha Cherry, Natalia Philip. Abini St. Jean, Earnisha Fontaine, Britney Pascal, Jannellia Glasgow, Shey-Ann Gaynes, Denella Creese, Nesha Alexander.
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 5
Guyana vs Barbados at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30 am
Jamaica vs USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Leeward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm
Wednesday, July 6
Windward Islands vs the USA at Diego Martin Sporting Complex - 9:30am
Leeward Islands vs Guyana at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm
Friday, July 8
The Leeward Islands vs the Windward Islands at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am
Barbados vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Jamaica vs Guyana at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm
Saturday, July 9
Jamaica vs Trinidad & Tobago at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30 am
Leeward Islands vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Windward Islands vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy - 2:30 pm
Sunday, July 10
Leeward Islands vs Jamaica at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am
Monday, July 11
Leeward Islands vs Barbados at Diego Martin Sporting Complex – 9:30am
Windward Islands vs Jamaica at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy - 2:30 pm
Tuesday, July 12
Guyana vs the USA at Diego Martin Sporting Complex - 9:30 am,
Jamaica vs Barbados at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm
Wednesday, July 13
Trinidad & Tobago vs the USA at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 10 am
Guyana vs the Windward Islands at Brian Lara Cricket Academy – 2:30 pm
CWI's Lead Selector Haynes confident in T20 World Cup squad- “We’ve got a team that can win this World Cup”
CWI Lead Selector, Dr. The Hon. Desmond Haynes, believes the squad that has been selected to represent the West Indies at the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup set for June 1-29 in the Caribbean and the USA can replicate the performances of the region’s title-winning squads in 2012 and 2016.
“This is a very good time in West Indies cricket. I believe that we’ve got a team that can win this World Cup and I feel damn good about this,” Haynes said in a Friday press conference announcing the squad.
“We’ve had preparations for the last year. The majority of the players, we had them involved and they were very successful. This is a very exciting time for us and I would hope that everyone in the Caribbean and all the West Indies fans support us because this is our best chance,” he added.
Also on hand at Friday’s press conference was West Indies Men’s ODI and T20I head coach Daren Sammy who also expressed confidence in the squad ahead of the tournament.
“We’ve known how to select winning teams. We’ve done it before and I think, as a selection group, we’re really excited about it,” Sammy said.
“It’s an exciting time and this preparation did not start now. It started from the last World Cup in Australia. What we’ve been able to do throughout the last year as a T20 group, the players we’ve exposed, has brought us to this moment and I think we’re about to knock it out of this world,” he added.
Two of the standout names in the 15-man squad were pacer Shamar Joseph and Shimron Hetmyer.
Joseph made his Test debut during the recent tour to Australia and became a worldwide phenomenon when he took a seven-wicket haul in the final innings despite an injured foot to give West Indies a dramatic eight-run win at the Gabba in the second Test. It was West Indies' first Test win in Australia since 1997.
This will be his first opportunity to represent the West Indies in the T20I format. He’s currently getting his first crack at franchise T20 cricket as he is a member of the Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
“You really can’t question Shamar Joseph’s skills. We saw him in Australia. We were looking at someone up front to bowl in the first powerplay and we think he ticks that box for us,” Haynes said.
Hetmyer is making his return to the squad after being left out for the tour of Australia. Haynes said it was a tough time deciding whether to pick Hetmyer or Kyle Mayers.
“It was a very close decision between Kyle and Hettie but we look at it from the point of view that we wanted the extra batsman to be one batting down the order,” he said.
Since the start of Daren Sammy’s tenure as head coach, he has always placed an emphasis on the importance of roles in a successful T20 outfit.
He believes that this 15-man group has covered all the necessary bases.
“We are ready. When you look at role definition from the group we’ve selected, I think we’ve come up with the best combination to help us win this World Cup.
The hosts will open their campaign against Papua New Guinea at Providence in Guyana on June 2.
Full squad: Rovman Powell (C), Alzarri Joseph (VC), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
Shamar Joseph in as West Indies announces 15-member T20 World Cup squad
There were no real surprises, as West Indies announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted in the Caribbean and United States.
The Darren Sammy-coached squad to be led by Jamaican Rovman Powell includes all the usual suspects, with rising fast bowling sensation Shamar Joseph being the only fresh face to the T20 unit.
West Indies, a two-time champion, having won the tournament in 2012 and 2016, will contest Group C of the global showpiece alongside Afghanistan, New Zealand, and two ICC Associate teams, Papua New Guinea and Uganda.
The Caribbean side is scheduled to kick off its title charge against Papa New Guinea on June 2, in Guyana.
All teams are allowed to make changes to their squad until 25 May, after which any alteration will require approval from ICC's Event Technical Committee.
More to come...
Squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosain, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
"We are where we want to be": Spooner pleased with response at box offices despite early glitches
Despite some early glitches at Kensington Oval’s box, in Barbados, Philip Spooner says things remain on the up where ticket sales for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is concerned.
Spooner, the tournament’s global media operations Manager, acknowledged the early problems, but said efforts were made to rectify the issues, as cricket fans flocked the venues to secure tickets for the highly-anticipated June 1-29 tournament, to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States.
To celebrate 30 days to go to the start of the tournament, box offices were opened on Thursday until the end of the event across the six host locations -Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua Recreation Ground; Barbados: Kensington Oval; Guyana: Guyana Cricket Board Office; Saint Lucia: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Commercial Centre, and Trinidad and Tobago: Queen’s Park Oval and National Cricket Centre -in the West Indies.
“We apologise to the members of the public for the challenges that they faced, but we are very happy to see people coming out because it shows the level of interest, and this is a tremendous first day of operations.
“People want to be part of this event and they are participating meaningfully. We are very happy about that. We will put everything in place that needs to be put in place for our customers, our fans, who are the biggest supporters of the games,” Spooner said in an interview with Barbados Today.
“So far, the atmosphere has been amazing; there has been a lot of attention to the tournament globally, it is literally out of this world. We had the launch of the amazing anthem and the music video with Sean Paul and Kes, two of the best and most visible global artists in the region. We are very happy with that aspect of how things are going. The preparations of the fields and pitches have also been good, obviously, there is still work to be done as we are a month away, but we are where we want to be,” he added.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
