Browne-John: Fitness still a priority for Windies Women

ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

WINDIES WOMEN have been placing heavy emphasis on personal fitness, even though the novel coronavirus pandemic has ruled out any possibility of on-field action for the foreseeable future.

Lead selector Ann Browne-John said each member of the squad had been issued with fitness plans, allowing them to remain in shape in preparation for the resumption of international cricket.

“In the interim, from a senior team perspective, I’m aware that all the coaches and all the training staff have given the girls work to do that they can be doing at their home, even if they’re on lockdown,” Browne-John told DBS Radio here.

“We’ve seen videos where so many people are doing work in their home gyms, on their balconies, in their yards, so our girls are doing the same, and they have their programmes ... we hope when they’re able to come back to camp or when we’re able to start back any series, that they’ll be fit, raring and ready to go.

“So I know the coaches are in contact with them constantly, and we hope that we all will get through this safely.”

Windies Women were preparing for a hectic schedule before the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, which disrupted the Caribbean and global cricket itinerary.

The regional side were scheduled to be involved for their respective territories in the Regional Super50 Cup in Guyana, starting last month, before taking on South Africa Women in a five-match One-Day International series from May 30 to June 10 in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

They were also expected to feature in World Cup qualifiers in Sri Lanka in June and July, in preparation for next year’s 50-over World Cup in New Zealand.

HIGHLY UNLIKELY

While neither international assignment has been officially cancelled, they are highly unlikely to take place, leaving the Caribbean side devoid of match practice.

However, Browne-John said the safety of all players amid the pandemic remained the priority for administrators.

“The coronavirus is affecting all aspects of life in the entire world. This is something that is unprecedented and it is also affecting sports, sportsmen and sportswomen worldwide,” she explained.

“As the Caribbean public would be aware, cricket has not been spared, so it has badly affected not only men’s cricket but girls’ cricket, boys, juniors and everybody.

“It has come at a time when West Indies women had a lot of cricket ahead of us, because South Africa was supposed to come … and then we were supposed to have the World Cup qualifiers and before that, we had the regional tournament … and the under-19 girls tournament that was to be held in Trinidad and Tobago.”

She continued: “But it has affected everyone and we just have to ensure that the players remain safe, that when this is all finished we have all the players available to return to cricket.”

Windies Women are coming off a poor showing in the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia earlier this year, when they failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time in six appearances, after winning just one in four matches to finish third in their group.