Walsh 'concerned' about WI Women's batting consistency
Published:Wednesday | September 14, 2022 | 7:48 PM
Orane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
HEAD COACH of the West Indies Women’s cricket team, Courtney Walsh, admits that he is concerned with the depth of his team’s batting ahead of their upcoming three-match ODI series against touring New Zealand, which bowls off tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Jamaica time at North Sound, Antigua.
“I would say that I’m concerned, we are all concerned in terms of the batting. We have Hayley (Matthews), Stafanie (Taylor) with her experience and other batters there, but no one is showing that level of consistency. There’s a fair amount of batting around, but we want to see other people take it up as their responsibility of being consistent," Walsh told The Gleaner in an interview on Thursday.
“I think that is what has been lacking in this team for the last couple of seasons, and this is a chance now for people to put their hands up,” Walsh added.
Adding to the retirement of prolific all-rounder Deandra Dottin from international cricket, the regional team will be without veteran spinner Anisa Mohammed, who announced that she will be taking a six-month break from cricket.
Walsh sees this move as an opportunity for the other players to raise their game and make a name for themselves.
“It’s a major point losing two players of their quality. But I think it’s an opportunity and a chance for others to step up to the plate, and as I said, if we could get a level of consistency from the other batters then that will help us," he reasoned.
“With the young spinners that we have around, with Anisa not being there, it’s a chance for a Ramharack (Karishma) or Grimmond (Sheneta) to put their name up. It’s an opportunity for someone to put their hand up and get competitive,” he added.
Hayley Matthews, ahead of her first series as captain of the West Indies, has received the backing of Walsh, who hopes that the 24-year-old Barbadian all-rounder will help create a winning culture for the team.
“We’re trying now to create that winning culture where we believe a lot more in ourselves and have that unity when we get out there. Hayley, who has been in the wings, wants the girls to go out and play good, hard cricket and leave everything on the park,” said Walsh.
New Zealand’s full tour of the West Indies, which starts on Friday with the first ODI, will comprise of three ODI’S and five T20I’s, with all games to be played at North Sound, Antigua.
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