TT schoolgirls for Canada cricket tour

A SQUAD of 16 girls will represent TT on a Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) tour of Canada from August 11 to 21.

The team, which started training three weeks ago, is expected to play local clubs and other school teams in T20s and 40-over matches. Former West Indies Women's cricketer Stephanie Power will coach the TT team.

Power is anticipating a strong tour from national senior player Shania Abdool who has also been called up to the West Indies training squad preparing for the Women's T20 World Cup in November.

Power said, "I know that Shania will bring a wealth of experience although she is just 19, but she has been playing in the Secondary Schools Girls Cricket League for the past four years, so I know she is experienced in that aspect. We have some pretty good bowlers also."

Half of the 16-member squad will gain some experience before the Canada tour, by competing in the Courts T20 Grand Slam tournament in Trinidad from July 16 to 28.

Some of the players Power expects to excel on the Canada tour are allrounder Alysha Gomez, Anna Marie Pereira and Shunelle Sawh, who won the FLOW SSCL Cricketer of the Year award on Thursday.

Power said her team still has some work to do before heading off to Canada.

"We have to work on running between the wickets because we are lacking in that area. Yesterday (Friday) we were doing a lot of work on that and we still need to do some more work also in the fielding with the high catching. We have some work to do still, I would not say we are ready for the tour yet but we are getting there," she said.

SQUAD: Shania Abdool, Daylia Alexander, Reanna Farrow, Jesse Ferdinand, Alysha Gomez, Anjali Goordeen, Aaliyah Guevara, Djenaba Joseph, Shania Kistow, Avonelle Loraine, Hema Mahabir, Janelle Noel, Anna Marie Pereira, Shalini Samaroo, Shunelle Sawh, Steffie Soogrim, Nigel Maraj (chef de mission), Kathy-Ann Cedeno-Cook (manager), Taramattie Bansi (assistant manager), Stephanie Power (coach), Lester Hanooman (assistant coach).