West Indies Women’s team batters will have to their skill with the bat if they are to come out on top in the Vitality T20I series against England later this month.
This is according to middle order batter, Britney Cooper who spoke to the media yesterday via Zoom conference.
“First of all I believe we have to be a lot more consistent,” the 31-year-old said.
“That is something we have fall short these past few years,” she added.
“This series against England [we] need to build a lot more partnerships and continue to apply pressure whenever we get the chance… I know all of us are going to peak at the right time,” she declared.
The Trinidad native admitted that the batting department has not lived up to expectations despite featuring a number of rated players.
“Yes it is a concern,” she responded when asked by Stabroek Sport about the batting issues.
“Since we have been here we’ve had a lot of practice and it’s showing that the girls are assessing the conditions and getting their form in order,” she added.
Among the squad is West Indies Women’s team captain, Stafanie Taylor who is ranked number eight in the ICC rankings while Deandra Dottin is the next highest ranked batter at 20th. Both Taylor and Dottin top scored for their respective sides in the inter-squad warm up match with 71 and 41 respectively. Hayley Matthews sits at fourth on the all-rounders’ sheet with Taylor in seventh.
Cooper pointed out that the team features a lot of top order batters which would provide a lot of options for the team to mix and match in order to find the right pair at the right time to counter the England bowling attack.
She explained that while winning the series is the ultimate objective, in doing her part, she has set a target of scoring at least two half- centuries if given the chance to play all five matches.
Cooper has played 67 T20Is and has a solitary half century under her belt while averaging 11.41 in the format.
West Indies are ranked sixth in the format while England are in second place. Despite the difference in rankings, Cooper dismissed any speculation that the task at hand would be intimidating for the Caribbean side.
She reasoned that due to the new norm of having to be in a bio-secure facility, the team has adapted well into their makeshift home and it would be England who would be ‘visiting’ their bubble.
Full Squad: Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin, Shemaine Campbelle, Afy Fletcher, Hayley Matthews, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Natasha McLean, Chinelle Henry, Aaliyah Alleyne, LeeAnn Kirby, Sheneta Grimmond, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi, Cherry-Ann Fraser and Kaysia Schultz
MATCH SCHEDULE Vitality T20I Series
Monday September 21: 1st Vitality IT20, England v West Indies
Wednesday September 23: 2nd Vitality IT20, England v West Indies
Saturday September 26: 3rd Vitality IT20, England v West Indies
Monday September 28: 4th Vitality IT20, England v West Indies
Wednesday September 30: 5th Vitality IT20, England v West Indies
