By Azad Ali
Predictably, there were no West Indian
women in the ICC Women’s Twenty20
World Cup 2020 Team of the recent
tournament after the 2016 champions
failed to make the semi-final.
The West Indies Women started with
a seven-wicket win over Thailand before
being beaten by Pakistan and then England.
Their final game against South
Africa was abandoned because of persistent
rain.
But in those losses there were no
individual performances of note, leaving
the ICC selectors with the easy
choice of leaving them out.
The selectors did have a tough time
though, with five players from Australia’s
victorious squad being named to the
Team of the Tournament.
Captain Megan Schutt, who led Australia
Caribbean L 38 ife, March 20-26, 2020
from the front with both bat and
in the field to guide her country to a
fifth Women’s Twenty20 World Cup title
is also named on the team.
Meanwhile, after a disastrous ICC
Women’s Twenty20 World Cup performance
recently in Australia, Cricket West
Indies women’s chief selector, Anne
Browne-John is hoping for young players
to emerge during the CWI Women’s
regional tournament scheduled to bowl
off in Guyana on March 27 and run
until April 2.
After being crowned world champions
in 2016, the West Indies Women
were dethroned in 2018 and then were
again dumped out of the tournament
last month in Australia in the biennial
competition.
Speaking on the Mason and Guest
program on Voice of Barbados last week,
Browne-John said a full review is to be
conducted in the aftermath of the substandard
performance.
She said that despite the hard work
put in during camps ahead of the global
competition, the regional team may
have been lacking in match practice
and fitness.
With the Twenty20s behind them,
the former West Indies cricketer said
with the Twenty20s behind them, the
focus now turns to the 50-over (ODI)
regional tournament in Guyana, where
the CWI is still monitoring the Covid-
19 virus.
She said from a selector’s standpoint,
she will be looking to the emergence of
new talent and the restoration of the
confidence of the senior players during
the regional competition.
rounds of the first-class championship,
along with an entire suite of youth
tournaments for the next 30 days.
Cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus
have been reported in Jamaica, Trinidad,
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Antigua
and Guyana.
“The health and safety of our players,
officials, staff are of paramount importance
to CWI and we have advised the
board of directors to take proactive
policy steps to decrease the growing
risk of contamination and spread of the
virus,” said CWI’s Chief Medical Officer,
Dr. Israel Dowlat.
The ongoing eighth round of the
championship was set to wrap up last
week, with one match to be completed
in Antigua.
Other tournaments affected are
the Women’s Super50 Cup (March 27
– April 12 in Guyana), the Under-15
Boys Championship (April 9 – 20 in
Antigua) and the inaugural Under-19
Girls Championship (April 6 – 12 in
Trinidad).
Dr. Donovan Bennet, chairman of
the Medical Advisory Committee, said
the decision to suspend the competitions
was aimed at minimizing the
spread of the virus.
“We are acting based on medical
best practice as well as in an abundance
of caution,” he said, adding,
“clearly, this pandemic is still evolving
and we will continue to monitor the
situation throughout the Caribbean.”
faith, hold an event in six weeks without
putting our participants, spectators, officials,
volunteers and staff through undeserved
health risks,” said Dr. M. Grace
Calhoun, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W’69
Director of Recreation and Intercollegiate
Athletics at the University of Pennsylvania,
in a statement.
“We remain hopeful that the recent
measures put in place by many health
organizations, government officials and
academic institutions will prevent the
spread of this disease, and the world
will slowly begin to return to normal,”
she added. “A piece of that normality is
competition and participation through
sports.
“Therefore, in an effort to provide that
opportunity, the Penn Relays will look to
host a track meet when the health and
safety of our community is more certain,”
continued Calhoun, stating that
the scope of the track meet will not be the
standard Penn Relays format.
She said the three-day event will
shorten into a one-day event, “designed
to provide the opportunity for youth,
high school, and open runners to persevere
and enjoy a competitive and festive
atmosphere, which they might have
missed this spring.”
“No one associated with the Penn
Relays has ever wanted to see a cancellation,”
said Dave Johnson, the Frank Dolson
Director of the Penn Relays. “While
participating in the meet as an athlete,
coach or official remains a bucket list goal
for many, the event has long served as an
annual homecoming for families, friends,
teams and social groups.
“Without the Penn Relays, springtime
in Philadelphia will not be the same,” he
added. “We will be back for the 2021 Penn
Relays on April 22 through 24 at Franklin
Field, when we hope to see brighter days
and be reunited with Penn Relays family.”
Zalmi midway through the PSL due
to poor form and fitness.
A beloved figure in Pakistan, the
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last
month announced that Sammy
would be given honorary citizenship
and the country’s highest civilian
award for his “invaluable contribution
to cricket in the country.”
The Penn Relays said it has adapted to
worldwide conditions in the past.
It said the meet was altered in 1917
and 1918 when several colleges, including
most Ivy League institutions, curtailed
their track programs during World War
I.
During World War II, travel restrictions
reduced participation and spectator
attendance while gas rationing was
in effect in 1943 and 1944, Penn Relays
said.
“After a fantastic year planning and celebrating
our first 125 years, this momentary
pause will allow us to kick off the
strategic vision of the next 125 years of
the Penn Relays,” said Scott Ward, Executive
Director of the Penn Relays.
West Indies Women cricketers.
Associated Press / Saurabh Das; File
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Head Coach
2020 Penn Relays cancelled
Cricket
West Indies Women fail to shine