National women’s cricket coach desires team effort in WI tourney

Coach of the St Vincent and the Grenadines women’s cricket team to the West Indies Cricket Board’s 50 over tournament in Dominica is looking for a total team effort from his charges.{{more}}

Cleton Burnett views this as especially important, given the relative inexperience of his team. The St Vincent and the Grenadines team to the August 7 to 13 tournament sees five newcomers – Nyasha Williams, Japhina Joseph, Shonica Campbell, Sue Ann Martin and Ronique Fergus – making the trip.

Joseph, Campbell, Martin and Fergus are all bowlers and Burnett noted: “Our bowling attack is inexperienced, as we don’t have Sheree Ann John nor Mellissa Billingy, who over the years have carried the bowling attack … But having said that, I don’t expect anyone to go out there and play mediocre cricket.

“With this young bowling attack and the new- comers, it is more or less a rebuilding process in looking to these players to gain some experience …. Hopefully down the road in the next two to three years’ time, they will be a force to reckon with and be the backbone for St Vincent and the Grenadines’ team,” Burnett projected.

Burnett then is banking on the batters to carry the weight of the team on the Dominica sojourn.

“The strength in our team is in our batting … We have Juliana Nero, Samantha Lynch, Hazel Ann Foster and the likes of Stacy Ann Adams and La Toya Providence, who have been there before and have gained some experience; they are the persons we are depending on to carry the batting,” Burnett assessed.

Without sticking his neck out, Burnett said he wants the team to play to the best of its ability.

“We had very good training sessions; the preparation going into this tournament, with help from Ian Allen, Bill Edwards and Kenroy Martin … The preparation process was very satisfactory… So I expect that we just go out there and do our best,” Burnett said.

St Vincent and the Grenadines are drawn in the group with defending champions Jamaica, also Guyana and St Lucia.

On opening day, this Thursday, St Vincent and the Grenadines meet St Lucia at the Botanic Garden and face Guyana on Saturday at the Windsor Park.

On Sunday, St Vincent and the Grenadines take on Jamaica at the Botanic Gardens.

The other group comprises Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada and host Dominica.

The two top places from the round robin advance to the semi-finals, with the others going into a play-off for the minor places.

Burnett was the coach when St Vincent and the Grenadines had their last triumph in the regional competition in 2007 in St Lucia.(RT)