Young Windies women reflect on tough lessons

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

The West Indies Women’s T20 International series against Australia concluded on Sunday night at a rain-affected Arnos Vale Ground, with the visitors claiming a 40-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method to complete a 3-0 series sweep.

While the result was a disappointment for the home side, the post-match reflections from two of the squad’s younger members, Zaida James and Jannillea Glasgow, offered a glimpse into the resilience and hunger brewing within a team looking towards the future.

For Glasgow, the final match carried a significance far beyond the scoreboard. Playing in front of family and friends in her homeland, the young cricketer was visibly moved by the occasion.

“I would say I give God thanks and praise first of all. It feels special to be home playing in front of such a big crowd. My parents came down from all over the country to see their last-born playing this game, so I am really proud. I’m feeling good as well.”

On the field, however, the reality of facing the world’s top-ranked side was clear. After rain interrupted play, Australia maintained a firm grip on the contest. Glasgow pointed to the visitors’ ability to seize momentum early as the defining factor.

“I think Australia had a start, and they will capitalise on a lot of things,” she explained. “It’s just that we should have tried to bounce back earlier. I think they had the head of this game.”

With the three-match T20 series now behind them, the focus shifts to the upcoming ODI series. Glasgow identified the power play as a critical area for improvement, especially as the squad looks to build consistency.

“We just need to capitalise on this power play, especially with two players out. It’s just to find those boundary options and keep that momentum going forward.”

Zaida James, who impressed with the ball on Sunday by picking up a wicket and conceding 23 runs in her three overs, echoed her teammate’s sentiments. Despite the clean sweep, she insisted that the spirit within the group remains high.

“It was a good series, I must say. Looking at the girls, everyone is hungry to fight, to win. It’s just about us assessing better and backing our skills.”

Speaking about her own performance on a pitch she deemed favourable to batters, James noted the importance of discipline.

“It was really good to be back out there. In terms of the pitch, I think it was really good for batting, so I just had to back myself to not really give them anything to play with.”

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, the conversation inevitably turned to the batting unit. The West Indies showed flashes of brilliance, notably from Hayley Matthews, Deandra Dottin, and Qiana Joseph earlier in the series, and James believes the group is on the cusp of a breakthrough.

“We still need a bit of improvement. I think once everyone starts clicking, we are going to be unbeatable,” James stated confidently.

“Coach Dietz has been working a lot with us on our batting and everything else. We have a World Cup coming up, so we just have to make a few tweaks. I’m looking forward to coming out and really enjoying the cricket as a whole.”

One area James was particularly passionate about was fielding. Known as a vocal presence in the team huddle, she revealed that she had challenged her teammates to raise their standards in the field.

“I think because I said it, it was a lot better,” James admitted with a smile. “We were just a little slacked off in the second game. Looking forward, fielding teams do win matches, so it’s just about keeping them under pressure.”