WI women anxious for a win

BENONI: The West Indies, without a win in three matches so far at the Women’s World Cup, are anxious to start winning as they head into their Match-Day 4 assignment against Sri Lanka at Willowmoore Park today. The West Indies are currently sixth in the standings and facing bottom of the table Sri Lanka Park gives them an ideal opportunity to secure a win and improve their hopes of reaching the top-four semi-final range. After a rain-marred no-result opener against defending champions New Zealand last Tuesday, the West Indies women suffered losses to South Africa and tournament favourites Australia and they need a win on Monday to lift their spirits, and hopes of advancing to the semis. 

“We have to start winning from here on in and we hope to turn around our fortunes from tomorrow,” coach Ann Browne-John told CMC Sport on Sunday. But to defeat the Sri Lankans, the West Indies women will have to reverse the results they had against their opponents when they toured the Caribbean in March 2003. The Sri Lankans dominated that series and won 6-0 but their form so far in South Africa has not been impressive and having lost several players who were on the Caribbean tour two years ago, West Indies coach Browne-John believes they may not be strong enough at this point to out-perform the Caribbean side.

“Sri Lanka are in eighth position, a number of their players have changed (in the last two years) and we are expecting that we should win tomorrow,” Browne-John said. Browne-John, a former West Indies player, also thinks her side has improved since their lopsided 2003 defeat to the Sri Lankans. “Definitely we have improved. We toured Sri Lanka and Pakistan, we also played in Holland (IWCC qualifying) and gained a lot of experience then,” she said. 

TEAMS (from): WEST INDIES —  Stephanie Power (captain), Nelly Williams (vice captain), Anisa Mohammed, Philippa Thomas, Shane De Silva, Verena Felicien, Indomatie Goordial, Juliana Nero, Kirbyina Alexander, Felicia Cummings, Envis Williams, Nadine George, Pamela Lavine, Cordell Jack, Debbie Ann Lewis. 
SRI LANKA — Sandamali Dolewatee (captain), Shashikala Siriwardena (vice captain), Hiruka Fernando, Prabha Udawatte, Inoka Galagedera, Dedunu de Silva, Janakanthi Mala, Chamari Polgampola, Srini de Alwis, Thilaka Gunaratne, Mitchelle Perera, Sreepali Weerakkody, Eshani Kaushalya, Thanuja Ekanayake.