JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, CMC – Despite the West Indies Women’s One Day International (ODI) series defeat to South Africa Women, head coach Courtney Walsh said he was pleased with the performance and grit shown by the team.
The Caribbean women handed the hosts a 2-1 series win on Sunday after crashing to a six-wicket defeat in the decisive fourth ODI that was played without injured captain Stafanie Taylor and Chedean Nation.
But speaking after the match, Walsh said there were some positives coming out of the tour, which was their last series before the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup scheduled to begin next month in New Zealand.
“It was pleasing to see Deandra [Dottin] getting those scores and then Kycia Knight with back-to-back scores – that was very pleasing to me…. [Afy Fletcher] hasn’t played in over a year, so having her back out was something we wanted to get done on this tour,” he said.
“I’m very satisfied with the outing. Obviously disappointed that we lost the series but more disappointed with the injuries we picked up,” the former West Indies fast bowler added.
Taylor suffered a concussion in the third ODI last Thursday while Nation sustained a neck injury while fielding in the same match.
Walsh is hoping the 10-day quarantine in New Zealand will give them time to recover.
“When we leave South Africa we have a 10-day stint of doing nothing, we won’t be outdoors at all. So, I’m hoping that over those 10 days all injuries will be healed or close to being healed…. I’m hoping at the end of the quarantine time everybody should hopefully be back to 90 per cent-95 per cent fitness and if that happens I’d be very happy to start the World Cup [in good stead],” the head coach said.
West Indies will play the opening match of the World Cup against the hosts at Bay Oval, Tauranga on March 4.
