Fletcher: We will put on a show

AFY Fletcher, captain of the Courts Gladiators, said the women’s cricketers will put on a show for all those who turn up at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy to witness two T10 matches during the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 playoffs.

The NLCB (National Lotteries Control Board) Challenge featuring the Gladiators and the NLCB Revellers will bowl off at 3 pm today, before the CPL qualifier two between Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents.

On Saturday, the same women’s teams will play in the Courts Invitational at 12.30 pm prior to the CPL final at 5 pm. All the matches will be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. This is the first time the region’s women’s cricketers will play matches during the CPL.

Yesterday, at a press conference, at Hilton Hotel,St Ann’s, Fletcher was anticipating the opportunity.

“The preparation in the camp has been good (with) the energy and the intensity. First time we are preparing for a T10 game, but we still trying to do the basics and work towards giving a good show. Thanks for the persons involved and it is very exciting to see that we are trying to give the exposure to ladies in that area and we are going to give a good show, I know for sure.”

Stafanie Taylor, captain of the NLCB Revellers, is also eager to play during the CPL and thanked the organisers for making the matches a reality.

Taylor said, “I just want to thank everyone who is involved and (has) made this possible and happen. I must say that since we heard about the CPL (exhibition matches) we have been very competitive and we don’t really have much friends when we go to training, but I believe it is just our competitive nature. I must say that the preparation has been really good and we (are) very much looking forward for tomorrow’s (today’s) game.”

Taylor, who has played in a number of T20 leagues around the world, said it is exciting to play this format in the Caribbean.

“For me, personally, it is a great initiative, I am relishing every moment of it...everyone has been asking when are we going to have a female CPL game and when I heard that we are going to have a few games I felt that relief basically to know that we are getting there. It is a start and that is what we want, we want the start for bigger things to happen.”

Everyone who has bought tickets for the CPL playoffs can use those tickets to view the women’s T10 matches.

SQUADS

NLCB Revellers

Stafanie Taylor (captain, Jamaica), Anisa Mohammed (TT), Chinelle Henry (Jamaica), Natasha McLean (Jamaica), Chedean Nation (Jamaica), Jodian Morgan (Jamaica), Stacy-Ann King (TT), Reniece Boyce (TT), Britney Cooper (TT), Felicia Walters (TT), Karishma Ramharack (TT), Caneisha Isaac (TT), Shawnisha Hector (Leewards)

Courts Gladiators

Afy Fletcher (captain, Windwards), Kycia Knight (Barbados), Kyshona Knight (Barbados), Hayley Matthews (Barbados), Aaliyah Alleyne (Barbados), Qiana Joseph (Windwards), Akeira Peters (Windwards), Erva Giddings (Guyana), Shabika Gajnabi (Guyana), Kaysia Schultz (Guyana), Cherry-Ann Fraser (Guyana), Sheneta Grimmond (Guyana), Shakera Selman (Barbados)