West Indies women’s head coach, Courtney Walsh, is fully in support of the inaugural women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) stating that the iniative was a good one.
In an exclusive interview with this publication recently, the former West Indies pacer, who has taken over 500 Test wickets, said:“I think it is a good initiative,” he said.
“We can build from it, the more cricket the ladies play is going to be better for us so something like that.
“If they can set it up the way they are doing it and have it self-contained the ladies will get a chance to play enough cricket and we can use it as well to build on so it is a very good initiative and I’m hoping we can use this as a platform going forward and the ladies can benefit from that,” he added.
The tournament will see three teams, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Royals, featuring a total of 33 of the best female players from across the Caribbean in action.
Walsh suggested that the tournament will do well in terms of competitiveness with the players drafted evenly across the franchises.
“I think it is a start, having three teams at the beginning to see how it pans out is a good way to go. Obviously if we can get competitive and have every territory participate, it would be good and maybe get up to five teams, but I think in the trial stages three teams is good enough to start with and see the quality that we have. You want to have good, competitive cricket, so it is best for them to compete against each other first,” he said.
The competition is set to get underway August 30.
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Stafanie Taylor, Shemaine Campbelle, Rashada Williams, Rachael Vincent, Kaysia Schultz, Chedean Nation, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shamilia Connell, Karishma Ramharack, Shabika Gajnabi, Zaida James
Barbados Royals: Hayley Matthews, Shakera Selman, Reniece Boyce, Mandy Mangru, Britney Cooper, Aaliyah Alleyne, Shanika Bruce, Afy Fletcher, Qiana Joseph, Japhina Joseph, Chinelle Henry
Trinbago Knight Riders: Deandra Dottin, Anisa Mohammed, Lee Ann Kirby, Kyshona Knight, Kycia Knight, Natasha McLean, Sheneta Grimmond, Caneisha Isaac, Jannillea Glasgow, Steffie Soogrim, Shawnisha Hector
