Women’s Super50 oversbegins today at Providence

Jun 16, 2022 Sports

Defending Champs B’dos favoured against Windwards

By Sean Devers
After playing some bad cricket against Trinidad &Tobago which cost them the T20 Blaze title which they had won for past two tournaments, Barbados women will now focus on defending their Super50 title when that format begins today when they battle the Windwards.

Shakera Selman

After winning the 50-over title in the last tournament in Guyana in 2019, Barbados has a powerful team even without their superstar Deandra Dottin and will be favoured today on a fast outfield and good track with fingers crossed for good weather conditions.
Barbados has qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in August and will aim to capture their fourth 50-over crown after winning that title in 2015, 2018 and 2019 while the Windwards is looking for their maiden title.
When the Bajans won their last title, Dottin and Hayley Matthews were the leading players with bat and ball in the 2019 tournament but now their fortunes will rest on the 24-year-old flamboyant Matthews with both bat and ball.

Haley Matthews

Pearl Etienne

Afy Fletcher

The Bajans have two pairs of twins in their side; the Knight sisters (Kycia & Kyshona) and Shanute and Shai Carrington along with Aaliyah Williams.
The 32-year-old Shakera Selman has played 58 ODIs and will spearhead a strong Bajan pace attack which includes Shanika Bruce, Shamilia Connell and Aaliyah Alleyne.
Matthews will spearhead the spin department with support from 37-year-old Charlene Taitt,
Barbados joined the West Indies domestic structure for its inaugural season in 1976, playing in the Federation Championships in Grenada with their only victory being against Grenada who they beat by an innings and 83 runs
Until 2014, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and St Vincent competed separately in the two competitions. In 2015, two teams; South Windward Islands and North Windward Islands, competed before the Windwards began playing as a team in 2016.
The Windwards will bank on their 35-year-old Skipper and West Indies leg-spinner Grenadian Afy Fletcher, Kimone Homer, Malika Edward, Tracy Byron, Stacy-Ann Adams and 18-year-old Zaida James who missed matches in T20 Blaze because she had to write her CXC exams.
Their pace attack will be led by 40-year-old Dominican Pearl Etienne, the oldest and among the fittest player in the tournament. She will expect support from Qiana Joseph left-arm pacer Jannillea Glasgow.
Fletcher should get support from off-spinner Carena Noel while Wicket Keeper Glendeen Turtinis expected to play a crucial role today.
The game is scheduled to commence at 09:30 hrs.