For the forthcoming T20I and ODI tour of Australia in
October, West Indies has selected offspinner Karishma Ramharack and under-19
prodigy Jannillea Glasgow in a young squad.
The 15-person roster that will face the best team in
the globe includes several of the top players from the most recent Women’s
Caribbean Premier League as well as the nucleus of the group that defeated
Ireland 3-0 in a home T20I series in July.
Star all-arounder Hayley Matthews will serve as the
team’s captain, and this is Shane Deitz’s first trip as head coach. Courtney
Walsh is replaced as wicketkeeper by the former South Australian wicketkeeper
after the team’s performance earlier this year led to Walsh’s contract not
being renewed.
In addition to Deitz’s nearly ten-year first-class
career with South Australia, he has also coached the Netherlands women’s team
and played a significant role as a player and coach in men’s associate cricket
with Vanuatu.
The squad’s balance of youth and experience excited
West Indies chief women’s selector Ann Browne-John.
“The selection panel has chosen to maintain most
of the players who were victorious in the home series against Ireland,”
Browne-John said. “Jannillea Glasgow, after having an outstanding Rising
Stars Women’s Under 19 tournament, has been included in the 15-member squad and
we see the return of Karishma Ramharack.
“We have continued to place confidence in some of
the developing players. Several of the players are coming off title-winning
performances in the Massy Caribbean Premier League so we are expecting them to
continue their good run of form. This is a team we believe can produce
competitive cricket against a top team like Australia, under the guidance of
the new head coach and led by the captain Hayley Matthews who’s enjoying a very
productive 2023 thus far.”