Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board spearheads creation of WI women's Test team

Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Azim Bassarath is spearheading the charge to help develop a West Indies women’s Test team.

During Wednesday’s Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s U19 Rising Stars T20 Championships award ceremony, at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Bassarath said the creation of a regional women’s Test team would be discussed at CWI’s executive meeting in August.

Currently, the WI women only participate in 50-over and T20 matches.

He said the TTCB had already put aside funding to host two three-day matches for TT’s women cricketers next month. Bassarath called on other regional territories to follow-suit as they seek to enter the sport’s longest and most challenging version of cricket.

“We want every other Caribbean territory in the Caribbean to follow us. We must not allow the girls to only play 50 overs and T20 cricket. If South Africa can play Test cricket, WI can play Test cricket.

“We must put those motions in place from now to ensure that we prepare our girls for the longer version of the game and it must start now.

“There will be an executive meeting of CWI on the first weekend in August and I am going to bring this up as a part as a very important topic on the agenda so that those territorial boards who cannot fund the games, I will ask CWI to ensure those games are funded,” he said.

Bassarath was pleased with the “seamless” execution of this year’s competition and congratulated USA on their surprise victory, on debut.

He credited TT Women’s Cricket Association (TTWCA) vice president Ann Brown-John and her executive for a hosting a tournament of “very high standard”, but also for playing integral roles in getting the competition to the level it is today.

Bassarath also acknowledged CWI for their support of the women’s game.

“About 13 or 14 years ago, a TTCB member together with Brown-John, this discussion came on about a girls’ U19 tournament. This U19 tournament was born out of that discussion, of course, with the women’s association.

“TT have hosted every single regional U19 girls tournament in Trinidad and that is because of the foresight and the vision of the TTWCA led by Anne Browne John.

“When CWI saw what was happening and they observed the quality the tournament was delivering, after about four or five years, CWI got involved and they started to pump some small funding in the hosting of this tournament.

“I want to extend congratulations to CWI for seeing the vision of John and her team in organising and hosting a tournament of this nature,” he added.

On USA’s surprise win, Bassarath congratulated the newly-crowned champions and dubbed their victory “a red letter day for USA cricket”. He said the result should open new doors for development of the sport in the US.

Bassarath continued, “Never in my imagination would I have thought the USA team to have won this tournament today. I know this will be a big thing in the USA.

“I am extremely happy that you are going to take back the winning trophy because cricket is needed in the USA and this might be the leap that necessary for cricket to make that leap in the US.”

Also present were Brown-John, West Indies women’s U19 head coach Steve Liburd, and SporTT’s head of sport development Justin Latapy-George.

Librud affirmed that following the U19 tourney, along with the already completed Women’s Super50 Cup and next month’s inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League, a WI squad will be selected for the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 competition in South Africa from January 5 to 30, 2023.

CWI Women U19 Rising Stars T20 Honour Roll

Round one –Niveena Ramnauth (Guyana), Shalini Samaroo (TT), Isani Vaghela (USA)

Round two – Raeleanna Grimmond (Guyana), Djenaba Joseph (TT), Jannellia Glasgow (Windwards)

Round three – Kate Wilmot (Jamaica), Jannellia Glasgow (Windwards)

Round four – Snigdha Paul (USA)

Round five – Samara Ramnauth (TT), Trishan Holder (Barbados)

Round six – Amelia Khan (TT), Bhumika Bhadriraju (USA)

Individual Awards

Player of the Match (finals) – Anika Kolan (USA)

Most Runs – Djenaba Joseph (TT)

Most Wickets – Naveena Ramnauth (Guyana/ Shalini Samaroo/TT)

Wicketkeeper with most dismissals – Shunelle Sawh

Tournament MVP Shalini Samaroo 121 runs/ nine wickets

Match Referees – Stephanie Power and Anthony Creed

Match Umpires – Carolyn Browne, Jacqueline Williams, Caseev Sandy, Maria Abbot, Ryan Willoughby, Candace La Borde