DERBY, England, CMC – After heavy losses in their opening four games, an air of inevitably surrounds West Indies Women’s fifth match of the ICC Women’s World Cup against Sri Lanka Women here today.
The Caribbean side, the regining Twenty20 champions, have been shambolic throughout the tour and none of their performances to date have offered any hope that a turn around is imminent.
To make matters worse, they lost their new-ball seamers Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman to injury a week ago, leaving their attack appearing even more toothless.
If there is any consolation, however, it is that the Windies face a side also winless in their four games and one they have beaten several times in the past, and captain Stafanie Taylor hopes this can count for something.
“Playing against Sri Lanka [in the past] we had some victories against them so coming into this game we would have that in the back of our minds,” Taylor told a media conference here Saturday.
She added: “We know how important these games are, we know how good we are as a team so going into the rest of the games we just have to leave everything out there on the field.”
West Indies’ batting has been at the core of their problems. They have batted first on each each occasion and failed to muster more than 205 – a total which came in their opener against reigning champions Australia women and resulted in an eight-wicket defeat in Taunton.
Since then, they have managed totals of 183, a tournament-low 48 against South Africa Women and 150, with none of their batsmen managing a single half-century.
Coupled with that, their bowling has lacked cutting edge and the fielding has been ordinary, leaving the Windies with plenty to pull together in order to mark their first win of the tournament.
However, Taylor said despite the losing streak, the team had used the disappointments as a learning experience.
“We know that expectations are high but it’s a different format,” the Jamaican contended.
“But we’ve learned and going back home we will take all that we’ve learned and move forward. The experience has been good. Sometimes things don’t go the way that you would like but it’s experience. We do have a couple new players so I’m sure they will take that experience as well moving forward.”
West Indies have been already eliminated from contention from the final four and with only pride to play for, Taylor said the side wanted to salvage something from the tournament.
“We rate all the games as being important so looking at the loss that we had previously, going forward now all games are pretty much must-win. We’re definitely playing for pride.”
SQUADS:
WEST INDIES – Stafanie Taylor (captain), Merissa Aguilleira, Reniece Boyce, Shamilia Connell, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Akeira Peters, Shakera Selman, Felicia Walters, Kycia Knight, Subrina Munroe.
SRI LANKA – Inoka Ranaweera (captain), Chandima Gunaratne, Nipuni Hansika, Chamari Athapaththu, Ama Kanchana, Eshani Lokusooriya, Chamari Polgampala, Harshitha Madhavi, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Shashikala Siriwardena, Dilani Manodara, Prasadani Weerakkodi, Sripali Weerakkody, Eshani Lokusuriyage.
