(CMC) – Teenaged fast bowlers Zaida James and Jannillea Glasgow are among eight uncapped players named in a 30-member training squad for a month-long high performance camp set to get underway here Sunday.
James, 16, is a left-armer who hails from St Lucia while Glasgow, also 16, is out of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
They will be joined by Japhina Joseph, Rashada Williams, Caneisha Isaac, Shanika Bruce, Mandy Mangru and Rachel Vincent, as those without international experience.
Chief selector, Ann Browne-John, said the new faces selected for the camp were in keeping with the ongoing strategy of expanding the talent pool.
“In an effort to continue to unearth talent, eight players have been included who were not in the January camp,” Browne-John pointed out.
“It serves as an opportunity for the coaches and selectors to look at some of the young up and coming players. Due to the pandemic, a regional tournament has not been held yet, so the players haven’t had the opportunity to impress the selectors in competitive matches.
“Heavy emphasis has been placed on batters including first timers Rachel Vincent – an opening batter from Trinidad and Tobago – and Mandy Mangru, a young player from Guyana who has been impressive in the Under-19 tournament.”
Batsman Kycia Knight, who has struggled with injury of recent, has been recalled and will train alongside the likes of captain Stafanie Taylor and regulars Hayley Matthews, Shemaine Campbelle and Shakera Selman.
The camp will be the second one staged this year, following on from the first one in January which featured 24 players, and was overseen by head coach Courtney Walsh.
Browne-John said the training camp was a critical one especially with several international assignments on the horizon.
“It is very important to have the West Indies players back in a training camp as the coaches can continue to help them hone their skills as we prepare for our next series,” she explained.
“Most of the top international teams have now restarted playing and it is critical for the West Indies team to prepare as we anticipate more international cricket coming up this summer.”
Of major importance will be the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers scheduled to bowl off in Sri Lanka in December.
The tournament will determine the last three spots for next year’s 50-over World Cup in New Zealand.
For the camp, Cricket West Indies said it would be working along with local health authorities and the Ministry of Sport in ensuring strong safety protocols amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
TRAINING SQUAD – Aaliyah Alleyne, Reniece Boyce, Shanika Bruce, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Britney Cooper, Deandra Dottin, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Sheneta Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector, Chinelle Henry, Caneisha Isaac, Zaida James, Japhina Joseph, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, Steffi Soogrim, Stafanie Taylor, Rachel Vincent, Rashada Williams.
