No nerves for Quintyne ahead of big outing

MUMBAI—Barbadian teenager Shaquana Quintyne says she is unfazed by the hype surrounding the ICC Women’s World Cup which bowls off in India. next week.

The 17-year-old leg-spinner, who is expected to form a key part of West Indies Women’s attack during the January 31 to February 17 tournament, said she was focussed but remaining calm amidst the preparation.

“I am feeling really comfortable and relaxed with the World Cup coming up. I know it is a big tournament for us and everyone is talking about it, and once I stay settled I know I will do very well for West Indies,” Quintyne said.

“I have been receiving a lot of support from my team-mates… they are always encouraging me. I know I have a main role but they don’t put any pressure on me. I just enjoy playing the in this team.”

The baby-faced Quintyne made her West Indies debut as a 15-year-old two years ago when Pakistan toured the Caribbean, and has since played eight One-Day Internationals and ten Twenty20 Internationals with nine wickets in each format.

Quintyne was also good enough to make the squad for last October’s Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka when she took four wickets in her only two outings.

She set tongues wagging only two weeks ago when she grabbed four for 14 from ten miserly overs in Dominica as she helped propel West Indies to victory in the third ODI of the five match series against the touring South Africans.

Quintyne said her improvement had come as a result of her training at the West Indies Cricket Board’s High Performance Centre in Barbados.

“I did a lot of work at the Sagicor HPC before we played against South Africa and that worked well for me,” she explained.

“I bowled a lot slower than I did before and I worked on a few variations, including a change of angles against different batters. I was happy with the way I bowled and will look to keep it up in India.”

West Indies will do battle in Group A of the tournament alongside Sri Lanka, India and England while Group B will see Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia competing.

The Caribbean lasses will get their first taste of action when they clash with the powerful Australians in the first of two warm-up matches tomorrow (11.30 pm, today, Eastern Caribbean time). (CMC)