By E. Glenford Prescott
Coach of the senior women’s cricket team and recently appointed Southern Windwards coach, Cleton Burnett, is a man beaming with pride and satisfaction after his team thrashed their Grenadian counterparts 3-0 last weekend in the Spice Isle.
The Vincentians had travelled to Grenada to take on the host in the three-match series which served as trial matches to select the Southern Windwards team for the West Indies Women’s tournament.
Prior to leaving these shores Burnett had expressed confidence that his team were going to win the series and that he was looking for possibly 10 picks in 14-member squad.
The Vincentians duly swept the series and earned eight selections and three of the four reserves with Julianna Nero appointed captain in addition to Burnett being the man in charge.
The Vincentians who gained selection are Latoya Providence, Stacy Ann Adams, Shavorne Clark, Vinisha King, Cordel Jack, Crystal John and Glendeen Turtin (wicket- keeper), with Shenezia Daniel, Nyasha Williams and Kimone Homer being named in the reserves.
“We played good cricket and we were always the better team, a happy Burnett said upon returning home.
He said that the bowlers did well with offspinner Jack and LaToya Providence showing good control and getting among the wickets.
He said that the batters did well with the experience Nero and Jack posting good scores with good support from Stacy Ann Adams.
The coach said that with the exception of the first match, in which the batters struggled a bit, the team never looked seriously threatened.
In the opening match SVG won by 3 wickets.
Grenada, who batted first, were dismissed for 115 in 31 overs with left handed middle-order batter, Akeria Peters getting 32, Afy Fletcher 24 and Marilyn Ettiene 21 with Vanisha King taking 2/12. SVG found the going tough and took all of 36 overs to reach their target — ending on 116/7 in 36 overs.
Captain Nero hit a topscore of 35 and Shavorne Clarke 18 to lead the batting.
In the second match, SVG won by 5 wickets.
Grenada, batting first, got to 126 in 44.3 overs, with Anisha Thomas getting a topscore of 57, followed by 27 extras made up of 24 wides. Shenezia Daniel 3/32 and Jack 2/19 enjoyed the best returns.
Jack then hit 53 in leading SVG who went on batting after passing the score to 144/5 in 38.1 overs.
Medium pacer Aria Fortune took 2/17 and Fletcher 2/26 to lead the Grenada bowling.
The third and final match was a relative high-scoring affair with SVG posting 197/8 in their 50 overs with Nero getting 58 and Shavorne Clarke 48. Carena Noel 3-32 and Shantan Charles 3-28 were the best of the bowlers.
Grenada led by a second half century by Thomas (53) and Debbie Ann Lewis 30* replied with 168/7 in their 50 overs. Latoya Providence 3-28 off 9 overs proved SVG’s best bowler.
Burnett, in looking at the Southern Windwards team, said it was a good composition with good all-rounders with the spin department serving up experience and talent.
While expressing confidence in the team doing well, the coach was concerned that there would be no camp prior to the tournament.
“The players from Grenada are over there and we are here so we just have to hope that they are doing some work in the meantime because team preparation is so important,” he said.
The West Indies Women’s tournament takes place in Trinidad next month with Southern Windwards Unit taking on Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Northern Windwards (Dominica and St. Lucia).
The full Southern Windwards team reads: Julianna Nero (captain), Afy Fletcher (vice-captain), Akeira Peters, Anisha Thomas, Rachael Cyrus, Holly Charles, Aria Fortune, Latoya Providence, Stacy Ann Adams, Shevorne Clark, Vinisha King, Cordel Jack, Crystal John, Glendeen Turtin- Wicket- Keeper, Reserve Players: Sheniza Daniel, Nyasha Williams, Kimone Homer, Carena Noel.