“Calypso cricket” is what head coach of the West Indies Women’s team, Shane Deitz, wants his team to play going forward.
The Australian 47-year-old, who was appointed in July this year, believes that the West Indies will have to play a more attacking brand of cricket to compete with the best teams in the world.
“The brand of cricket I want us to play is definitely the traditional West Indian ‘calypso’ brand of attacking, taking it to the opposition and getting on the front foot. It’s the way I’ve always coached cricket around the world and that’s not going to change here,” Deitz said in a press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s a style of play that I think is effective so the players will definitely be getting the message that we’re here to win and we’re going to win by playing attacking, free-flowing cricket,” he added.
The former Vanuatu and Netherlands Women head coach believes the implementation of this new philosophy will take time, but will be worth it in the end.
“It may take a little bit of time to really adjust to or a few skillset upgrades in players but we’ll work towards that so they’ve got the ability to play that style of cricket and I think that’s the most successful brand of cricket around the world,” he said.
“Australia play it at the moment in women’s cricket and are consistently getting over 300 in ODIs and 160 to 180 in T20Is so we’re definitely going to follow that method and play that style of cricket and play the Caribbean way,” added Deitz.
Deitz will get his first opportunity to see the team in a competitive outing when they embark on a tour of Australia for three ODIs and three T20Is from September 30-October 14.
He says this will be a great opportunity to see some of the players first-hand against some world-class opposition.
“I’ve only been here for the WCPL to see them live so I think this tour to Australia will be a great opportunity for me to see the players first-hand against the world’s best and a team that has dominated women’s cricket around the world,” he said.
“This is a great test for us and a way for me to see the reality of where we’re at, what we need to work on and what areas we need to improve so we can formulate a long-term plan to work on players to get them up to that world class, elite level and challenge Australia, England and India who have been challenging for World Cups,” Deitz added.
As for the nucleus of his team going forward, Deitz pointed to current skipper Hayley Matthews, former captain Stafanie Taylor and all-rounder, Chinelle Henry.
“Obviously we’ve got a few players who are near the top of the world rankings with Hayley (Matthews) and Stafanie (Taylor). (Chinelle) Henry is also showing signs of being an elite level cricketer,” he said.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has announced the 15-member squad for the tour to Australia in October. The six-match Series comprises three (3) T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three (3) One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Following the West Indies Women’s clean sweep against Ireland Women in the CG United ODI Series and the T20I Series in Saint Lucia earlier in the summer, the panel has named an unchanged squad for the Australia tour under the leadership of Captain Hayley Matthews. The tour will be the first for new Head Coach Shane Deitz who arrived in the West Indies at the end of August.
The inclusion of the ‘Rising Stars’ quartet of Ashmini Munisar, Djenaba Joseph, Zaida James, and Jannillea Glasgow will see some of our youngest talent in the team having their first opportunity to test their skills against the current T20I and 50-Over World Champions Australia.
Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said “The selection panel has chosen to maintain most of the players who were victorious in the home series against Ireland. Jannillea Glasgow, after having an outstanding Rising Stars Women’s Under 19 tournament, has been included in the 15-member squad and we see the return of Karishma Ramharack.”
Browne-John added, “This team is one we believe will continue to build and develop as our game evolves in the rapidly growing landscape and high-performance setting of women’s cricket. We have continued to place confidence in some of the developing players. Several of the players are coming off title-winning performances in the Massy Caribbean Premier League so we are expecting them to continue their good run of form. This is a team we believe can produce competitive cricket against a top team like Australia, under the guidance of the new Head Coach and led by the captain Hayley Matthews who’s enjoying a very productive 2023 thus far.”
The ODI series against Australia is West Indies’ fourth fixture in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-2025 after playing New Zealand, England and Ireland. Each match provides West Indies with opportunity to win valuable points to climb the Championship table where they currently lie 9th out of ten teams. Following the Australia Series, West Indies Women will have four further three-match ODI series to play over the next two years. At the end of the cycle, the top five teams in the ICC Women’s Championship and will book a berth for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025 as well as hosts India. The remaining teams will have to go through the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Full Squad
Match Schedule
1 October: 1st T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney
2 October: 2nd T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney (night)
5 October: 3rd T20I at Allan Border Field, Brisbane (night)
8 October: 1st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane
12 October: 2nd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne
14 October: 3rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne
Captain Heather Knight urged England to bounce back to draw the “best ever series” after Australia retained the Women’s Ashes with victory by three runs in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl.
Nat Sciver-Brunt hit an unbeaten 111 in Hampshire but it was not enough to guide England to victory in pursuit of 283 with the hosts finishing on 279 for seven after a thrilling sixth encounter of the multi-format series.
After trailing 6-0 following defeats in the one-off Test and opening T20, England had stormed back to win three matches in a row and keep alive their faint chances of winning back the Ashes for the first time since 2014.
Only victory in the final two ODIs would be enough for Knight’s team, but the tourists proved too strong with Ellyse Perry’s 91 and a game-changing knock of 37 not out from Georgia Wareham, with 26 runs coming off the final over bowled by Lauren Bell, helping Australia make 282 for seven.
Sciver-Brunt was able to produce more heroics against Australia, after she hit 148 not out in last year’s World Cup final, but with 15 runs needed from the last six deliveries, Jess Jonassen held her nerve and England will aim to level the series at 8-8 in Tuesday’s final ODI in Taunton.
“God it was an unbelievable game again wasn’t it? It has got to be the best series there has ever been in the history of the women’s game,” Knight reflected.
“Two sides going toe-to-toe, fighting it out and every game has been pretty close. Yeah, obviously disappointment but real pride as well over the fact we got so close.
“The way Nat played was unbelievable. To nearly marshal the tail in that chase was brilliant, but probably left a little bit too much to do.
“Overall, we’ve put in another thriller of a performance, but the Ashes are gone which is disappointing.”
Before Sciver-Brunt’s third ODI century against Australia, the big momentum-swinger occurred in the final over of the tourists’ innings.
With Australia on a below-par 256 for seven after 49 overs, England would have fancied their chances but Wareham proceeded to hit seamer Bell for three maximums, two over midwicket, and another brace of fours.
The 26-run over went a long way to deciding the latest nail-bitter in the series, but Knight backed her young bowler to learn from the experience.
“No, not for me (the most decisive moment). Lauren has been outstanding at the death for us all series, but she is a young bowler, she will make mistakes and have days like that sometimes where it doesn’t quite go right,” Knight added.
“I think she will learn a lot from that experience.
“There is a one-day series victory on the line and it would be a really good achievement to win the T20 series and ODI series to draw the series 8-8.
“We have to rally around people, it is obviously quite a quick turnaround and there will be some emotion in that dressing room.
“But we head to Taunton tonight, down to the Holiday Inn and we have a day to regroup and go again. I think if we can end the series on a high, we can have huge pride in how we’ve played throughout the series.”
Knight had got England over the line in Wednesday’s opening ODI match in Bristol and admitted it was “horrific” to have no control in this chase.
Reflecting on Sciver-Brunt’s innings, Knight added: “It was kind of written in the stars for her to do it today.
“Unfortunately just a little bit too much but great character by her to get us even anywhere close.
“It was another unbelievably entertaining game of cricket and unfortunately we’ve been on the wrong side of this one.”
Australia spinner Alana King, who claimed three for 44, was delighted to retain the Ashes but insisted they want to win the series 10-6.
She said: “We have retained it, which is awesome but as we have said all along, we have come to win it so we have one more game to win the Ashes.”
Lauren Filer made an eye-catching start to her England career, snaring Australia opener Beth Mooney in the opening session of the one-off Test that kick-starts the multi-format Women’s Ashes series.
Filer was held back until the 17th over and almost had the dream start after getting an lbw verdict on Ellyse Perry from her first ball, only for an undetected edge to reprieve Australia’s batting linchpin.
But Filer vindicated her selection ahead of Issy Wong as her extra pace continued to cause issues and the tall seamer had her maiden international wicket when Mooney slashed to gully on 33 at Trent Bridge.
Kate Cross made the initial breakthrough to end a promising innings from Phoebe Litchfield, out for 23 on her first Test knock after neglecting to review an lbw verdict that would have missed off-stump.
England might have seen the back of Mooney on nine and 19 but missed tough chances in the field while their seamers were on the whole expensive as Australia raced to 100 for two after winning the toss.
Cross was entrusted with the first delivery and served up a no-ball in an opening over which yielded nine runs but she found a hint of sideways movement alongside Lauren Bell on a green-tinged pitch.
There were few alarms for the elegant Litchfield or the more cagey Mooney until Cross’ eventful fifth over. Cross was unable to cling on to a one-handed return catch off Mooney but found some succour after Litchfield shouldered arms to one that straightened and struck the left-hander’s front pad.
Litchfield eschewed a review as she trudged off and Hawk-Eye showed the ball would have sailed past off-stump.
In walked Perry with a titanic 75.2 average in this format. England have been on the receiving end of Perry’s might in the past but the hosts brought on their trump card in a bid to stifle the all-rounder.
Filer’s first ball clattered into Perry’s pads but the on-field lbw decision was overturned because of a thick inside edge discerned on replay. But Filer’s pace continued to hurry Perry in her opening over.
But it was Mooney, the top-ranked batter in ODIs and second on the list in T20s, who provided Filer with her first England wicket after a back-foot punch took the edge and carried to Cross at gully. It was a welcome wicket after Test debutant Danni Wyatt put down a diving chance off the Australia opener.
Perry (31 not out) and Tahlia McGrath (11no) ushered Australia to the lunch interval with no further alarms.
Players at the Women's World Cup should be allowed to show support for social causes, believes Football Australia chief executive James Johnson.
Australia and New Zealand are set to host this year's finals following the men's tournament in Qatar in 2022.
The build-up to that event was dominated by discussion of human rights issues relating to the host nation, and players were banned from wearing a OneLove armband supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
Football Australia is in talks with FIFA to avoid similar problems this time around, Johnson revealed, and expects players to be vocal in support of various causes.
"What you'll see from the Matildas is not just great performances on the pitch, but they're going to make some points off it as well," he told Sky Sports.
"We are working with FIFA [and] we'll make sure we bake into the competition regulations some exceptions to the rules, so the players can express themselves in a free way.
"Once that's agreed, the players can express themselves on certain issues, especially LGBTQI issues, which are on the tip of the Matildas' tongue.
"Then they can get back to football and do their work on the pitch.
"It could be an armband, it could be an indigenous flag. We haven't got into the specifics. We're optimistic we'll land in a place we're happy with and the players are happy with as well."
Johnson's comments come after talks between FIFA and Visit Saudi regarding sponsorship of the finals prompted criticism from high-profile players.
"We weren't happy with how it played out," Johnson added. "We weren't happy with what we thought the outcome was going to be either.
"That's not just us [Football Australia], it's the government, and we also spoke to the players. In our view, it didn't align with the vision of the tournament.
"We took a principled stand. It wasn't popular with everyone, but that's what leaders have to do sometimes. We've spent a lot of time listening to our players to try to understand what's important to them.
"The Matildas support a lot of social issues, and we need to back our players. When we have to push issues with FIFA, we do that for our players."
England manager Sarina Wiegman was "not worried" despite seeing her team's undefeated streak end at the hands of Australia.
The Lionesses went into the friendly on a 30-match unbeaten run, but lost 2-0 at the Brentford Community Stadium on Tuesday thanks to goals from Sam Kerr and Charlotte Grant.
It came just days after the European champions won the first ever women's Finalissima against Brazil on penalties, but Wiegman is not concerned as England prepare for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which gets underway in July.
"I'm not worried. I don't worry very quickly," she said after the game. "We know we have to be at our top level and that's when we go into the World Cup too.
"Every game we get some warnings – against Brazil we got some warnings in the Finalissima. We know where we want to go to and what we have to do.
"I don't think we're losing momentum, I think it's building. There's 100 days to go and everyone's really excited to go to Australia and this is just a very big learning moment for us that we need to get to a higher level to win these games."
On losing the undefeated streak, Wiegman added: "I haven't been focused on that ever. We just want to win every game and you remind us all of the time [about the unbeaten run] but we don't talk about that in our camp.
"We talk about the next game and we want to improve every game and try to adapt to the opponent.
"I would've loved to have had a 31st win but sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."
Captain Leah Williamson saw a mistake punished by Kerr to open the scoring, and she told ITV: "Yeah. That first goal probably made it worse for me than everybody else but the whole team feels really, really rubbish about losing. It hurts."
She added: "[It's] absolutely not a setback [before the World Cup]. Sometimes you have to take blessings in disguise and I think maybe that's not the worst thing that could've happened to us.
"We wanted to learn this whole time, we wanted to be pushed to our limits and we need to take it up a new level.
"In the past, we won those games, we turned them around but actually tonight to lose it gives you a bit of fire."
England tasted defeat for the first time under Sarina Wiegman as goals from Sam Kerr and Charlotte Grant saw them shocked 2-0 by Australia on Tuesday.
The Lionesses headed into the game on a 30-match unbeaten run, one that has seen them win Euro 2022 as well as the Finalissima against Brazil last week.
But a below-par display saw their streak ended at the Brentford Community Stadium, as an uncharacteristic mistake from captain Leah Williamson allowed Kerr to nip in and open the scoring by lifting the ball over Mary Earps and in.
Grant then doubled her team's lead, arriving at the back post to meet Kerr's deep cross before her header towards goal was deflected by Williamson, completely wrong-footing Earps and sealing victory for Australia.
The upset defeat is not ideal preparation for England as they look ahead to the upcoming World Cup, hosted by the team they just lost to, which is now just 100 days away.
Having suffered her first defeat during her England tenure, Wiegman was at a loss to explain why her team played so poorly, telling ITV4: "I don't have the reason.
"We spoke at half-time that we need to be quicker, have energy, stretch them and run behind. At other times we lost the ball a little quickly. The reasons for that, I have to think about a little longer.
"This is the first time we've lost, but we always learn. We see things done well and things we have to do better. We have to improve to be at our best at the World Cup. Every game is for learning, and this is a big one."
FIFA could abandon plans for Saudi Arabia's tourism body to sponsor the Women's World Cup after a major backlash from co-hosts Australia and New Zealand.
The sport's governing body was reportedly set to add Visit Saudi as a tournament sponsor for the competition, though no official announcement has been made.
An angry response from both the two host nations and leading players, such as United States veteran Alex Morgan, has reportedly forced a rethink from FIFA now however.
Both Football Australia and New Zealand Football remain frustrated by a lack of clarity though, with the latter's chief executive Andrew Pragnell voicing his displeasure.
"I found the response fairly ambiguous," he told local media. "It didn't confirm nor deny the potential Visit Saudi sponsorship that has been reported in the media.
"It did allude to the importance of treating all member associations equally and the importance of engagement as opposed to isolation.
"Other than that, it stated that they'd be reaching out through their media and partnerships team for further conversations.
"We're left in a little bit of uncertainty as to what's going on here, to be frank, which is a bit disappointing.
"Anything further I say would be speculation because I don't know, but clearly our letter, given the delay in the response, and the absence of confirmation or denial, has caused some form of rethink in FIFA about this issue."
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson echoed his opposite number's comments, adding that any such sponsorship would not match their values for the tournament.
"It was an overwhelming consensus that this partnership does not align with our collective vision for the tournament and falls short of our expectations," he said.
"While we await further clarity and information as to the details of the partnership from FIFA, we continue to convey this clear message on behalf of Football Australia, New Zealand Football, and our community."
England will face Denmark, China and an as-yet undecided qualifier at next year's Australia/New Zealand 2023 Women's World Cup, as holders the United States face fellow 2019 finalists the Netherlands.
The Lionesses, heading into their first major tournament since claiming Euro 2022 glory on home turf, will compete in Group D following Saturday's draw in Auckland.
Sarina Wiegman's side will meet fellow UEFA outfit Denmark alongside Asian Cup holders China, plus one of Chile, Senegal or Haiti, who are due to complete their qualification battle in February next year.
All eyes will be on Group E however, where the USWNT will meet Wiegman's old team once more, four years on from defeating them in the final at France 2019.
They are joined by Vietnam, as well as another unknown qualifier who will be confirmed at the start of next year.
Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland face hosts Australia in Group B, along with Canada and Nigeria, while co-hosts New Zealand take on Norway, Switzerland and the Philippines in Group A.
Japan, finalists in 2015, have been pitted against Spain, Zambia and Costa Rica in Group C, while France, Jamaica and Brazil - alongside the third and final remaining qualifier - make up an intriguing Group F.
Sweden, downed by England in the Euro 2020 semi-finals earlier this year, headline Group G alongside South Africa, Italy and Argentina. Germany are in Group H with Morocco, Colombia and South Korea.
The tournament begins on July 20 next year, before reaching its climax with the final at Sydney's Stadium Australia four weeks later on August 20.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas took home a second straight Ballon d'Or Feminin award on Monday to become the first two-time winner.
Putellas was recognised in 2021 after winning the Champions League with Barca, before returning to the final this year.
The Blaugrana this time came up short, losing to Lyon, but Putellas finished as the competition's top scorer and Player of the Season.
She was then denied the opportunity to feature at the Women's Euro 2022 after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament on the eve of the finals.
Despite missing the tournament, while three of her four fellow Ballon d'Or finalists featured, Putellas was named the world's best player by France Football again in Paris.
Beth Mead, who inspired England's Euros triumph, finished second, but Putellas was a popular winner and gave an emotional speech as she reflected on a tough period in her career.
"Thanks to France Football and the members of the jury," she said. "On April 5, I broke my knee and I believed that this [winning the Ballon d'Or] would not be possible, because I believed that the most recent European Championship would be remembered.
"My most sincere congratulations to the English FA for the organisation they had for the European Championship and how they are having that impact on women's football in that country. They are an example of how they are doing it.
"I hope that the next time I have to speak, it will be on the pitch again, and I hope that we will see each other again there."
On a high from their 15-run victory over Pakistan on Friday, Barbados came crashing back down to earth on Sunday when they lost nine wickets with 71 balls to spare to Australia’s women at the Commonwealth Games.
Needing 65 to win from 20 overs, Meg Lanning scored an unbeaten 36 from 21 balls and Alyssa Healy 23 from 24 balls to propel Australia to 68-1 in just 8.1 overs.
The pair shared in a second-wicket partnership of 63 after Australia had lost the wicket of Beth Mooney for two in the second over.
Shanika Bruce was the lone wicket-taker for Barbados. She took 1-7 from the two overs she bowled.
Australia won the toss and sent Barbados to bat on a grassy pitch that held no terrors. Openers Deandra Dottin and Captain Hayley Matthews got the Caribbean representatives off to a good start getting to 20 inside four overs.
However, it all began to go wrong with the fifth ball of the fourth over bowled by Darcie Brown. Matthews had punished the bowler with two boundaries before getting out to an injudicious shot for 18.
She was the only batter to get into double figures as Deandra Dottin went for eight as Barbados slipped to 37 for 2. Shortly thereafter Kycia Knight was out for nine pulling Tahlia McGrath down to backward square where Megan Schutt held onto an easy catch and leave Barbados in serious trouble on 39-3 in the ninth over.
Barbados lost their last seven wickets for just 25 runs courtesy of Alana King who took 4-8 and McGrath 3-13. Ashleigh Gardener chipped in with a haul of 2-6 from her four overs as the batters fell like nine pins.
Only one batter scored more than 200 runs in seven matches, they dropped more than 20 catches and had the worst catching efficiency of all the teams, and they crashed out in ignominious fashion losing by 157 runs to Australia on Tuesday night but West Indies Women Captain Stafanie Taylor believes the team played well in the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup.
In what could rank as one of their poorest performances of the World Cup, West Indies Women were bowled out for 148 chasing a target of 306, losing by 157 runs via Duckworth/Lewis method in the rain-shortened game.
Only Taylor (48), Matthews (34) and Dottin (34) made any score of note as the West Indies Women wilted under the pressure of the chase and incisive bowling from the Australian attack.
Notwithstanding, the abject performance in the match and in the tournament where after opening with scores of 259-9 and 225-6, the West Indies Women failed to score 200 runs or more for the remainder of the tournament, Taylor was hopeful for the future.
“No one expected us to win the first two games and to be in the semi-finals,” she said after the ended world cup campaign.
“I think the way we played throughout the tournament had been really good. We had some ups and downs and that happens but it’s about learning and I believe we are still learning and I am proud of the way we played. We still have more to go and you’ll see us around again.”
Matthews, who opened the tournament with a brilliant 119 against hosts New Zealand, was the leading scorer for the WIW with 260 runs at an average of 37.14. Shemaine Campbell with an aggregate of 185 runs had the next best average of 30.83.
Deandra Dottin scored 199 runs but averaged just 28.42 while Taylor averaged 21.57 from an aggregate of 151 runs during the tournament.
Matthews was also the leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets in the tournament and was the only West Indies Women bowler in double figures.
Australia continued their dominance at the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup with a comprehensive 158-run win over the West Indies in the first semi-final in Wellington.
The match was reduced to 45 overs per team after a rain delay before the toss which the West Indies won the toss and elected to field first.
Australia’s opening pair of Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes got off to a slow start while assessing conditions before putting the Windies bowlers to the sword once they got comfortable.
The two ended up putting on a mammoth 216 before Healy was dismissed for a blistering 129 off just 107 balls in the 33rd over.
Healy's innings included 17 fours and one six.
Haynes eventually got to 85 off 100 balls before she became the second wicket to fall with the score on 231 in the 36th over.
Captain Meg Lanning (26 not out) and Beth Mooney (43 not out) then continued the attack for the Australians before the innings closed with them amassing 305-3 off their 45 overs.
Chinelle Henry was the only West Indian who had a decent showing with the ball, taking 2-51 off her nine overs.
The Windies started their reply already at a disadvantage as Anisa Mohammed and Chinelle Henry were both unable to bat after sustaining injuries in the field.
Captain Stafanie Taylor (48), Hayley Matthews (34) and Deandra Dottin (34) were the only West Indian batters to pass double figures as Australia were equally dominant with the ball, restricting the Windies to 148-8 to secure a 158-run win and advance to the final.
Jess Jonassen took 2-14 off five overs.
Australia will be looking for their seventh ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title and first since 2013 when they play the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa and defending champions England.
The second semi-final takes place on Wednesday in Christchurch.
West Indies Women head coach Courtney Walsh is confident ahead of their 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup semi-final against Australia in Wellington on Tuesday.
Speaking in an interview with Andrew Mason, Walsh, who was appointed as head coach in October 2020 after previously serving as assistant coach to Gus Logie, expressed his confidence and outlined that while the team has played well in stages, they still haven’t put it all together.
“I’m very confident. I think the team deserves to be in the semis. We’ve played some very good cricket while we’ve been here and we still haven’t put it together as a team like we know we can do so this will be the right game to get that started so I’m pretty confident that once we execute and play to our potential, we’ll have a very good game,” he said.
The West Indies got a few days rest after their last game against South Africa last Wednesday, something Walsh says has done the team well.
“We had a couple days away from it which has done us some good. It’s the first break we’ve had since the start of the competition so we had a couple of days where some of the main players were not required to come to practice to give them a chance to recover and the girls who weren’t playing much cricket had a chance to come out and get some decent practice as well. We’re in a good space at the moment,” he said.
“There’s no major concern. We know the areas that we haven’t done well in and the coaches have been trying very hard to get everybody up to speed,” was Walsh’s response when asked about any concerns he had going into the semi-final.
The West Indies will be aiming to advance to their second Women's World Cup final after finishing as runners-up in 2013 in India.
West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor wants her team to relish the moment ahead of their World Cup semi-final against Australia on Tuesday.
“We want to relish the moment and go out there and play hard cricket,” the all-rounder said in a pre-match press conference on Monday.
The match will be played in Wellington where the West Indies have been awaiting their fate since their last group match against South Africa was rained out last Wednesday.
“We’ve been here for a while now. We’ve been getting used to conditions in the nets so hopefully that should help us in how we play. We just have to take it how it comes and play like a final and, hopefully, we come out on top,” she said.
There was a time not too long ago when a World Cup semi-final seemed like an unreachable dream for the Caribbean side but Taylor says changes over the last couple years have helped the team grow.
“We’ve had some changes to our team and a new coaching staff. I believe the work they’ve been doing with us has changed the way we go about our game,” she said.
“I think we have come a long way. It may not show as much with the score sheet but I feel like we’ve come a long way looking back on series we’ve played. The coaching staff has contributed so much to where we are. I thought we had a really good start to the tournament and hopefully that’s something we could use to get us through in this back-end. Everyone is fit and rearing to go,” Taylor added.
The West Indies will be looking to reach their second World Cup final after being runners up in 2013, losing the final to Australia by 114 runs.
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