The West Indies had a batting performance to forget as England secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in their five-match T20I series with a three-wicket win at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet on Thursday.

The hosts made a sub-par 145-8 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat. For the second match in a row, the West Indies quickly found themselves on the back foot with the wickets of Shai Hope (4), Evin Lewis (3), Nicholas Pooran (7), Roston Chase (7) and Shimron Hetmyer (2) leaving them 37-5 in the sixth over.

Captain Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd steadied the ship somewhat with a 73-run sixth wicket partnership before Shepherd fell for 30 at the start of the 16^th over.

Powell eventually made a top score of 54 odd 41 balls while Alzarri Joseph provided some valuable lower-order runs with 21*.

Saqib Mahmood continued his excellent form with the ball in the series with 3-17 from his four overs while Jamie Overton was also brilliant, taking 3-20 from his four.

England then reached 149-7 with four balls to spare to secure the win and a series victory.

Sam Curran led the way with 41 while Liam Livingstone and Will Jacks made 39 and 32, respectively.

Akeal Hosein bowled excellently despite the loss with 4-22 from his four overs.

The fourth T20I will take place at the same venue on Saturday.

The West Indies Women will be in action next month when they tour India from December 15-27.

The series, part of the 2022-2025 Future Tours Programme (FTP), will see the Windies taking on India in three T20Is and three ODIs in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.

The T20Is are scheduled for December 15, 17 and 19 followed by the ODIs on December 22, 24 and 27.

This will be a valuable experience for the regional side in conditions they should experience at next year’s ODI World Cup in India.

West Indies last played a white-ball series in India eight years ago, winning the T20I series 3-0 before losing the ODIs 0-3.

West Indies Men’s white ball head coach Daren Sammy is focusing on the positives after his team’s 2-1 T20I series loss to Sri Lanka in Dambulla.

After a dominant win in the first T20I on Sunday on a pitch typical for Dambulla, suitable for batting, the pitches for the second and third T20Is were much more conducive to spin bowling, a strength of the hosts.

The statistics reflected that, with 15 out of the 18 West Indian wickets to fall in the last two encounters being to Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers.

While eventually noting the need of his players to be better able to adapt to the change in conditions, Sammy looked at the fact that Sri Lanka had to make that big of an adjustment in their favor after one game as a plus for his side.

“We sent a strong message. We started a series one way with a squad looking to see the depth and the home side had to change the whole set up to make sure that their spinners got the advantage,” Sammy said in a press conference after the third game on Thursday.

“Ideally, yes, our men did not respond well to the spin, however, with the mindset that we have in our team being a championship winning team, we must be able to play in different conditions,” he added.

For Sammy, the changes to the pitch in the last two games felt like a win for his side in the long run.

“For us to see the last two games, the nature of the wicket from what it was at the start, I thought we actually won the contest because we were the away team and in conditions set before us, we challenged them with a squad that was not our full squad and they had to react to that,” he said.

“I told the guys yes, when the World Cup comes, we won’t get these conditions. ICC will make sure the pitches are good. It was a moral victory for us,” Sammy added.

Sammy went further, noting how Sri Lankan pacers Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara didn’t get an opportunity to bowl on good pitches in the last two games will hurt them in the long run.

“When you have pacers like that not getting an opportunity to bowl on good wickets when the true test comes, that’s where you really test your team,” he said.

“We as a group know Sri Lanka has never beaten us in a T20I series and with the manner in which they had to do over here in Sri Lanka, we’ll take that but there is need for much improvement in the way our guys play spin when there’s a challenge,” he added.

Both teams will now turn their attention to the three ODIs in Pallekele beginning on Sunday, October 20.

West Indies white-ball Head Coach Darren Sammy is brimming with confidence about his squad’s readiness as they prepare to kick start their tour of Sri Lanka with the first of three T20Is on Sunday.

Sammy’s confidence stems from the fact that most, if not all, of his players benefitted from the intensity and high-level competition of the recently-concluded Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, which served as ideal preparation for them to deliver competitive performances in what will be a challenging tour in subcontinental conditions.

Following their three-match T20 series, which ends next Thursday, Sammy’s side will also engage their host in a three-match ODI series, scheduled to begin on October 20.

“The good thing is we are coming from our Caribbean Premier League, so most, if not all, the guys have been playing cricket, which is a plus when you have a series that comes so close after a tournament. So, us travelling here to Sri Lanka, the most important thing is the recovery of the guys,” Sammy shared shortly after arriving in Sri Lanka.

“So we are going to have a couple days to do that and a training session before our first game on Sunday. But looking from what transpired in the CPL, my guys are ready to take on a really strong Sri Lanka team,” he added.

Brandon King gathers his gears shortly after arrival. (Photo: Daily Mirror)

Sammy, who has always been vocal about fostering a winning culture within the team, emphasized that the squad’s depth would be a crucial factor in the upcoming series.

This, as the Caribbean side, West Indies, will be bolstered by the inclusion of fresh faces like all-rounders Terrence Hinds and Shamar Springer, both of whom have been rewarded for their strong domestic performances. Sammy expressed his excitement about seeing how these new talents integrate with the more experienced members of the team.

“If you notice, we are trying the depth of our squad. We've given some guys some opportunities with the World Cup coming up in less than 20 months, so with some of our senior players being unavailable, I'm looking to see how far, how great our depth could be. But, obviously, the main purpose is to win series,” Sammy declared.

“We've been doing well so far and giving guys opportunities to build and develop, so I'm really excited. Sri Lanka is a young team; since Jayasuriya took over, there's been a new energy and confidence in that team. So it will be a good series for us and a good tester for us to see where we are in the depth that we have in the Caribbean,” he reasoned.

Sammy also pointed out that the inclusion of players like Hinds and Springer reflects the broader strategy of building a versatile squad capable of adjusting to different match situations and conditions.

“Obviously the roles that they are going to be playing, especially with the ball in the backend, is a role that we are looking for and trying to find specific guys to do that. So this series, although it's short—only three games—gives them the opportunity to see and have a taste of the international flavour of cricket.

Members of the West Indies delegation. (Photo: Daily Mirror)

“So hopefully, when the opportunity comes, we could judge where they are. But I have full confidence from what I saw in the Caribbean Premier League—the skill set, the temperament they've shown already. That's why they are here with us, and I'm looking forward to what they could do on the international scene,” Sammy noted.

While the conditions will undoubtedly require adjustments, Sammy’s optimism stems from the team’s diverse skill set.

“The conditions, based on the data that Avenesh [Seetaram] has given us, are that the pitches are good for batting, and just looking at the recent Lanka Premier League, some of the places we played in Dambulla and Gandhi are places that produce high-scoring matches.

“So we will assess the conditions like we always do, and Avenesh will be spot on in giving us the data that we need to help us prepare, plan, and strategize, and I think we are more than ready,” he ended.

On the heels of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in the Caribbean in June, the Men in Maroon will welcome decades-long rivals, England back to the region’s shores.

On the heels of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup held in the Caribbean in June, the Men in Maroon will welcome decades-long rivals, England back to the region’s shores.

The series, dubbed The Rivalry, is set to kick off from Thursday 31st October, and will be played in both T20I and ODI formats until Sunday 17th November. Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia are the three islands chosen to host the highly anticipated match-up.

Starting the action at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium Antigua, the home team takes on England with two ODIs, sponsored by CG United, on the 31st of October and 2nd of November at 2pm and 9:30am, respectively.

Both teams then travel to Barbados where the action continues at the Kensington Oval for the 3rd ODI on Wednesday 6th November at 2pm. The World Cup final hosts will also see the first T20I games on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th November, both at 4pm.

The tour wraps up at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia with three T20I matches on Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November. All matches begin at 4pm.

Fans can purchase tickets securely in advance from https://tickets.windiescricket.com to save tickets directly to their mobile device or print at home for presentation at the venue, avoiding the need to travel to or queue at the box offices. ​ Fans can also take advantage of other benefits such as exclusive advance ticket windows and discounts. 

Box offices will open several days in advance of the first match in each series. 

Barbados-born Jacob Bethell has received his maiden call up to the England squad for their three T20 Internationals and five One-Day Internationals against Australia in September.

Bethell, 20, a left-handed batter and spin bowler, has been picked for the three-match T20 series and five one-day internationals that follow after scoring 356 runs for Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast this season, including a 15-ball fifty against Northamptonshire.

Bethell’s Warwickshire team-mate Dan Mousley, 23, another left-hander who also offers a slow-bowling option, was also included in the T20 squad for the first time after amassing 375 runs in Birmingham's run to the Blast quarter-finals.

Leicestershire left-arm seamer Josh Hull and right-arm Hampshire quick John Turner could also make white-ball debuts after being included in both groups, while a fifth uncapped player, Essex batter Jordan Cox, is in the T20 party.

England white-ball stalwarts Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Jordan have been left out and may very well have played their last international matches.

England T20I squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner

England ODI squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner

West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.

Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.

Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.

Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.

Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)

Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)

Hayley Matthews starred once again to lead the West Indies Women to a tense two-run win over Pakistan Women in the third T20I at the Karachi National Stadium on Tuesday.

The tourists first posted 132-5 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat.

Matthews led the way with a 49-ball 68 including 10 fours while Shemaine Campbelle provided good support with 31 against 2-22 from Fatima Sana.

Pakistan were then restricted to 130-8 from their 20 overs in reply.

Sidra Ameen led the way with 63 off 58 balls including seven fours.

Afy Fletcher took 2-20 from her four overs while Matthews completed a fine al-round performance with 2-22 from her four overs.

Pakistan at one point were cruising at 119-3 in the 18^th over before a pair of Matthews wickets led to a collapse saw the hosts losing their next five wickets for just six runs.

In the end, Shamilia Connell successfully defended 12 runs in the final over.

The West Indies now hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series with the final two games set for Thursday and Friday.

Full Scores: West Indies Women 132-5 (Hayley Matthews 68, Shemaine Campbelle 31, Fatima Sana 2-22)

Pakistan Women 130-8 (Sidra Ameen 63, Afy Fletcher 2-20, Hayley Matthews 2-22)

West Indies sealed a thrilling one-run win in the first women's T20I against Pakistan in Karachi. The visitors posted 122 after a disciplined bowling performance from Pakistan, which was spearheaded by Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal. But West Indies' bowlers responded in kind, shackling the Pakistan innings and turning the chase into a nervy one that went to the death. In the end, it would boil down to two runs off the final delivery, but Shamilia Connell beat the bat, and Shemaine Campbelle behind the stumps effected the run-out.

In the first of five T20Is, West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first as they looked to continue their 100% record in Pakistan on this tour. But on a pitch that gripped under the lights, it was Pakistan who started stronger as Iqbal struck of the second ball to send the talismanic captain Hayley Matthews back for a duck. Diana Baig, the most economical of the Pakistan bowlers, trapped Campbelle behind soon after to leave West Indies wobbling at 14 for two. The partnership between Qiana Joseph and Stafanie Taylor that followed did steady the ship, but Pakistan never quite let them get going.

A pair of valuable cameos - both Chedean Nation and Chinelle Henry scored 13 off 9 balls - helped West Indies tip over the run-a-ball mark, but Pakistan would have felt they had a slight edge at the halfway mark.

That advantage was bolstered by a dynamic innings from opener Sidra Ameen, whose 17-ball 23 put Pakistan ahead of the asking rate by the end of the powerplay. But losing both her and Gull Feroza within four balls of each other without adding to the score brought West Indies roaring back into it, and when Karishma Ramharack cleaned up Ayesha Zafar after a stilted innings, the visitors had edged ahead. But Pakistan captain Dar's 24-ball 27 saw Pakistan seize the advantage again as the game balanced on a tightrope throughout the innings.

It all came to a head in a dramatic final over, with Connell bowling. When Najiha Alvi smacked the penultimate ball for an exquisite inside-out cover drive for four, Pakistan appeared, for one final time, to be sneaking home. But a dot ball would follow, and as Pakistan hearts were broken, West Indies' streak held firm.

West Indies 122 for 9 (Joseph 34, Taylor 30, Sana 3-24) beat Pakistan 121 for 8 (Dar 27, Ramharack 4-15) by one run

West Indies Women will tour Pakistan for a limited-overs series, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is, scheduled to begin on April 18.

The three ODIs will form a part of the ICC Women's Championship 2022-25, and will take place on April 18, 21 and 23.

It will be followed by a five-match T20I series from April 26 to May 3, which will provide both sides with plenty of time to finalize their preparations for this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

All matches games will be played at the National Bank Stadium (NBS) in Karachi.

This will be West Indies women's second tour of the country since 2021. They last visited Pakistan in November 2021 for three ODIs, which they won.

The upcoming ODI series will be Pakistan women’s fourth at home, having earlier hosted Sri Lanka (June 2022), Ireland (November 2022) and South Africa (September 2023).

Pakistan are currently third in the ICC Women's Championship standings with 16 points, while West Indies are towards the bottom at ninth with eight points.

The T20Is will also kick start preparations for both teams in the build-up to the Women's T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Bangladesh in September.

Pakistan's Head of Women’s Cricket Tania Mallick said the series forms part of a strategic move.

"We extend a warm welcome to the West Indies women's team to Pakistan for the upcoming series. Hosting the fourth women's championship series at home within the 2022-25 cycle is a testament to PCB's commitment to promoting women's cricket and providing our players with opportunities to shine on the international stage," Mallick said.

“The forthcoming series against West Indies is not just about cricket; it's about developing relationships and strengthening bonds between cricketing nations. The current position of the Pakistan women’s team reflects our determination and dedication, and we aim to collect maximum points from the three championship matches at home,” she added.

Series schedule

18 Apr – First ODI, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

21 Apr – Second ODI, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

23 Apr – Third ODI, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 Apr – First T20I, Karachi

28 Apr – Second T20I, Karachi

30 Apr – Third T20I, Karachi

2 May – Fourth T20I, Karachi

3 May – Fifth T20I, Karachi

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel has made two changes to the 15-member squad ahead of the fourth and fifth T20 Internationals (T20Is) against England.

The Selection Panel is resting fast bowler Alzarri Joseph in consideration of his workload including the forthcoming all-format tour of Australia in January and February. He is replaced in the squad by fellow pacer Oshane Thomas. Johnson Charles, the experienced batter is also called into the squad to replace Shimron Hetmyer.

West Indies currently lead the Series 2-1 after winning the first two T20Is in Barbados and Grenada. England won the third match in Grenada ahead of the two teams travelling to Trinidad for the finale. The West Indies have a chance to clinch the T20I Series on Tuesday 19 December in the fourth encounter at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The final match will be played on the Thursday 21 December at the same venue. Both matches are day/night games with the first ball bowled at 4pm local time (3pm Jamaica time).

FULL SQUAD: Rovman Powell (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice-Captain), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russel, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Oshane Thomas.

MATCH SCHEDULE

3 December – 1st CG United ODI: West Indies won by 4 wickets at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
6 December – 2nd CG United ODI: England won by 6 wickets at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua
9 December - 3rd CG United ODI: West Indies won by 4 wickets at Kensington Oval, Barbados
12 December – 1st T20I: West Indies won by 4 wickets at Kensington Oval, Barbados
14 December – 2nd T20I: West Indies won by 10 runs at National Stadium, Grenada
16 December – 3rd T20I: England won by 7 wickets at National Stadium, Grenada
19 December – 4th T20I at Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4pm local time/3pm Jamaica time)
21 December – 5th T20I at Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4pm local time/3pm Jamaica time)

In its ongoing efforts to speed up the pace of play in international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a stop clock, on a trial basis, in Full Member Men’s ODI and T20I matches (approximately 59 fixtures) between December 2023 and April 2024.

The trial will start with the first T20I match between the West Indies and England on 12 December in Barbados.

The stop clock will restrict the amount of time taken between overs, meaning that the bowling team will need to be ready to bowl the first ball of their next over within 60 seconds of the previous over being completed. Failure to do so for the third time in an innings (following two warnings) will result in a five-run penalty being imposed against the fielding team.

Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager – Cricket said: “We are continually looking at ways to speed up the pace of play across international cricket.

“The stop clock trial in white ball international cricket follows the introduction of a successful new playing condition in 2022, which resulted in the fielding team only being allowed four fielders outside of the inner circle if they were not in a position to bowl the first ball of their final over in the stipulated time.

“The outcomes of the stop clock trial will be assessed at the end of the trial period.”   

West Indies “A” Women defeated Thailand Women Emerging by five wickets in the second match of the T20 tri-series, played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Saturday.

In the low-scoring game, West Indies Women A were brilliant with the ball, dismissing Thailand Emerging for just 46 in 14.2 overs after winning the toss. West Indies then got over the line in 13 overs, with five wickets to spare.

Qiana Joseph (11, 17b, 1x4), Shabika Gajnabi (10, 26b) and Trishan Holder (10, 13b, 1x4) chipped in with small contributions, which was enough to award West Indies victory. Thailand Emerging attempted to derail the chase by taking wickets in quick succession with Thipatcha Putthawong taking two wickets, while Phannita Maya, Sunida Chaturongrattana and Onnicha Kamchomphu getting a wicket each.

Earlier, all of the West Indies bowlers found success; left-arm spinner Qiana Joseph and right-arm pacer Jannillea Glasgow picked up three wickets each. Right-arm pacer Jahzara Claxton bagged two wickets, while off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond and fast bowler Cherry-Ann Fraser got a wicket apiece to their names.

Chaturongrattana was the only batter on the Thailand scorecard that got to double digits. She hit 12 from 26 balls, including one boundary.

Thailand Women Emerging play Pakistan Women A in the third match of the T20 tri-series on November 5.

Hayley Matthews continued her spectacular form this year with a brilliant knock to help her West Indies Women pull off a world record run chase against world champions, Australia, to tie up their three-match T20I series at the North Sydney Oval on Monday.

Matthews smashed a 64-ball 132 including 20 fours and five sixes to help the West Indies successfully chase their target of 213.

In a post-match interview, the all-rounder said this win will give her team a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the third and final T20I on Thursday.

“A win like this at a time like this definitely means a whole lot to the team. Obviously, we’ve come down here with a lot of young girls in a learning, growing squad and to get a win like this against the best team in the world the way that we were able to do it is really going to boost our confidence and give us a lot of belief within the team,” Matthews said.

The Barbadian shared in a spectacular 174-run second wicket partnership with former captain Stafanie Taylor who made 59 off 41 balls including 11 fours. Matthews heaped praise on the Jamaican for helping take the pressure off her at the crease.

“I think when we needed 100 runs from about 50 balls, we looked at each other in the middle and said we could really get this if we keep going with the momentum. Kudos to the way she batted as well, getting boundaries on a regular basis and taking a lot of pressure off me so I’m really happy to have shared that partnership with a legend like her,” she said.

Matthews, so far, has made 213 runs in two innings in the series after her unbeaten 99 in the first T20I. She was asked what has made her so productive this year.

“Just working hard. I’ve played a lot of T20 and franchise cricket around the world and I’ve had the opportunity, at such a young age, to learn a lot about my game and the biggest thing for me has been my understanding and my technical work has been working really well,” she said.

Matthews also insisted that there is no pressure on her side ahead of the decisive third T20I.

“When we came to Australia we had nothing to lose at all. After the first game, what we did individually was look within ourselves and saw what we could’ve done better. That’s exactly what we’re going to do ahead of the next game. Yes, we won but we have so many areas we can improve in and so much learning that could take place as well,” she said.

The third T20I begins at 3:05 am Jamaica time and can be seen live on SportsMax.

Former Captain Stafanie Taylor says the West Indies Women will need to emphasize spending time in the middle to have any chance of competing with Australia when the pair lock horns in three T20Is and three ODIs beginning on Sunday at North Sydney Oval.

The team is coming off a pair of home series wins against Ireland in July (2-0 in the ODIs and 3-0 in the T20Is) and will look to take that momentum into Australia.

A big reason for those series wins was the team’s batting. The first ODI saw the hosts bat the full 50 overs to post their second highest ODI score ever, 297-6, before successfully defending it.

The third ODI also saw an impressive performance with the bat, losing only four wickets and needing only 41.3 overs to chase down 203.

The T20s were no different with the West Indians securing a pair of eight wicket wins as well as a tense two wicket victory.

From an individual standpoint, after a rough few years due to a persistent back injury, Taylor enjoyed a welcome return to form during the ODI series.

She made scores of 55 and 79* in her two innings and is looking to continue that form against the current World Champions.

“I’ve been feeling really good for some time. The injury would’ve definitely slowed me down a little bit but it’s nice that I’ve been working hard to get my body back up and it’s been really good,” she said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s series opener.

“For me, it’s trying to get myself back to the top and spending some time at the crease is going to be crucial because I find that once I’m able to do that, I know runs will come. I just have to believe in myself,” she added.

Just like in the Ireland series, the team will be a good mixture of youth and experience with some players who took part in the most recent ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup as well as the CWI Regional Under-19 Women’s Tournament.

The 32-year-old complimented the youngsters before emphasizing that it is up to veterans like herself to help them achieve their full potential.

“I think we have a good crop of young players coming through. We’ve seen them in the Under-19 World Cup and it’s been really good so far where we have our Under-19 tournament that recently concluded in Trinidad and a lot of those U19s have been integrating with the senior team. You saw that in the recently concluded Ireland series,” Taylor said.

“Having them in the system, it’s for us to try an impart that knowledge that we have onto them and this series is going to be crucial for them but also it’s a learning experience and you don’t want to burden them too much,” she added.

As the most experienced member of the team, Taylor also provided insight relating to conversations she has had with the younger players in the team or players who haven’t yet played in Australia.

“Well I haven’t played here in a long time to be fair but, from what I’ve known is that Australian wickets tend to be a bit bouncy. It might be worth playing a bit late especially with the pace of the fast bowlers. I’ve played a few times at North Sydney and it’s a good wicket. I think the wickets here are going to be really good for batting. Spending time at the crease will be crucial if we want to score runs,” Taylor said.

This series will also be the first opportunity for new head coach Shane Deitz to take charge of the regional side.

In his own introductory press conference a few weeks ago, Deitz proclaimed that he wanted to bring a new attacking brand of cricket to the West Indies Women.

Taylor says that discussion hasn’t taken place quite yet.

“We’ve only had one practice session so far. We haven’t really had a meeting to discuss how we’re going to play or what it’s going to look like for this series. The first game is Sunday and we just had a meeting to welcome everyone and had a light practice session just to have a feel of things,” she said.