Windies women ready for W/Cup

BRIDGETOWN: Ann Browne-John, coach of the West Indies women’s cricket team, believes her side is ready for any challenge they face at the 2005 IWCC World Cup in South Africa, despite all the off-field problems. The Stephanie Power-led team is in Barbados for their final preparations ahead of their opening fixture against New Zealand on March 22. Browne-John has identified ill knowledge of the strength of their opponents they are well prepared for the challenges of their first World Cup appearance eight years ago.

“We don’t have as much knowledge of the other teams as we would like to have, but we have tried to prepare as best as we can, we have tried to keep the girls focussed,” she said. “I think that they are ready for the challenge all I need them to do is to keep mentally focussed and hopefully they will do well.” The Windies women have been hampered in their preparation for the tournament with the lack of financial assistance, including securing a lucrative sponsorship deal like their male counterparts.

Browne-John said that they have some of the required funds that were donated by various regional entities. “We have not gotten all the funding that was expected, but we were able to get a few corporate sponsors in Trinidad and Tobago, the TT Government gave some assistance, and one or two regional governments also chipped in with a bit,” she said. “We also had Austin ‘Jack’ Warner, the president of CONCACAF and vice-president of FIFA, who also came in and gave us some assistance, the fund-raising is still on going, but we will get there.”

The Windies have so far had a successful preparation for the competition, registering three wins in the opening leg in TT last week, but suffered a loss against the University of the West Indies XI in their opening fixture in Barbados, all against male opposition. At the picturesque Three Ws Oval on Sunday, the UWI XI took first knock and reached 226 for six from 40 overs. In reply, the Windies women laboured to 108 for nine from 40 overs.