West Indies Women suffered a 90-run defeat
to Australia in their February 27 first warmup
match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World
Cup played at Lincoln Green. Asked to bat first, Australia
posted 259/7 from their 50 overs. Ellyse Perry top-scored
with 62 off 85 deliveries followed by Annabel Sutherland
with 54 not out. Stafanie Taylor led her team from the front
with the ball, taking 3/51 followed by Anisa Mohammed
with 2/45 and Hayley Matthews 2/45.In their reply, West
Indies Women reached 169/9 in 50 overs. Taylor starred
this time with the bat, smashing 66 from 128.
Prior to the match West Indies captain, Stafanie Taylor had
urged her side to manage their nerves, as they put the finishing
touches on their preparation for the showpiece. Only half
of the squad featured at the last 50-over tournament staged
in England four years ago, with selectors opting for several
young players to complement an otherwise experienced
unit.
“I think it is seeing how best we can manage those nerves.
I think it is natural to have those nerves and when you do,
it’s all about that you want to do well so it’s ok,” Taylor
explained.
“It’s just about how best to manage those nerves. You don’t
want them to be all over the place, you want to make sure
they’re going in one direction.
“We haven’t played Australia in such a long time so I don’t
know the difference from when we played them then to
how they’re playing now.
“(This match) is just to get a feel (of (conditions), not to
focus too much on them but the areas you want to do well
in.”
The match against Australia was the first of the two warmup
fixtures for the Caribbean side. The second game was
scheduled against powerful India on March 1.
West Indies have a tough opening assignment for the group
stage when they come up against hosts New Zealand in
Turanga on Friday, March 4.
In fact, they face a difficult opening run, meeting reigning champions England in their second game
before taking on India and Australia in their next two fixtures.
And even though pundits have not pencilled West Indies in as serious title
challengers, Taylor said her squad were comfortable with the label
of outsiders.
“We don’t mind being the underdogs. I think it is good we
don’t get too ahead of ourselves and people looking on and
(saying) ‘West Indies are the team to look out for’,” said Taylor.
“I think people look at the fact that we’re not a strong 50-over team but I
find that we’ve been getting better and that’s a plus for us.”
She continued: “I think we had a really good series in Pakistan (last November). The
World Cup qualifiers didn’t go as well as we wanted them to and we went to South
Africa and even though we lost the series, I think looking back I found in some areas we
did really well.”
Taylor, the side’s leading stroke-maker, will be joined by the experienced likes of Deandra Dottin
and Hayley Matthews in the batting department, and she hopes the duo can extend their prolific
recent form.
“There were players who stepped up to the plate (in South Africa) and did well,” Taylor said.
“Deandra is one of those players. She’s in really good form and I hope that that form
continues for us, and Hayley Matthews as well.
“And even the bowlers are chipping in so as I said we’re in a really good place.”