In a recent interview (June 5) with CRICINFO's Annesha Gosh, West Indies captain Stephanie Taylor lamented the lack of the implementation of a strategic plan for the development of women's cricket in the region. She stated that winning the ICC T20 World in 2016, did not do much in terms of galvanizing the structural development of the women's game throughout the region. http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/26903686/think-winning-t20-world-cup-things-improved-stafanie-taylor
Since 2016 the team's performance at the 2017 ICC World Cup in England was appalling and they were beaten in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2018.
At the moment the West Indies are languishing in 7th position in the qualification campaign for the ICC World Cup 2021 to be played in New Zealand. Taking into consideration their poor performance in the current series against England and with home series to be played against Australia and India between 2019 and 2020, anything short of a miracle will require participation in the 2020 qualifying tournament to get into the final stage of the 2021 World Cup.
Taylor comments reinforce the deep-seated structural problems identified by the CARICOM Cricket Review Panel (CCRP) 2015 on women cricket:
*Lack of financial and infrastructural support and commitment to the sustainable development of women's cricket” (p.5). In 2015 women cricketers received match fees for the annual regional tournament for the first time.
*“There is no organised, official programmes and policies in place by the CWI (WICB) to develop women's cricket” (p5).
*“CWI management looks towards the Territorial Boards and Governments to take the lead in the area of cricket development for women, while it accepts the responsibility for the development of cricket skills for the men's teams” (p.5).
*Whereas there are annual U15, U17, U19 and A-Team cricket for men, the women players are restricted to playing one round of 50 overs and T20 matches every year.
*“There are no organised, consistent set of structures in place by the Territorial Boards. Some Boards do have clubs, do not encourage the development of clubs and do not organise national/territorial competitions” (p.5).
Based on the aforementioned and what has been transpiring on the field since 2016, the Skerrit administration has to act fast by considering the following:
*An assessment of the CCRP (2015) issues as well as the suggestions of the Pybus Report 2014.
*The establishment of a practical strategic plan for the development of the women's game over a 5-10 year period.
*Ensuring that territorial boards implement strategies that are consistent across the region. Build on existing programs for men's game. Set targets and report on their successes on a yearly basis.
*Recognising that by 2021, the core of the experienced players will be 29 years and over including Taylor and Dottin. Therefore, age group development has to be on the front burner of the development programme for future teams! Women cricketers have to be part of the Academy system.
*A shining light in 2019, CWI partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Women's Cricket Association (TTWCA) stage a regional U19 T20 tournament. As much as this was an important development, the quality of the tournament will be dependent upon a structured grass root programme across each territory where players are exposed to coaching by qualified coaches so as they graduate to the U19 level they will be prepared to make a smooth transition into national teams and the West Indies.
*Women cricketers have to be compensated to ensure that they can focus on developing their game to the best of their ability and not have to be concerned about meeting bills etc.
*In addition to getting each territory to get more females playing cricket through age group, school and club cricket, regional tournaments should also consist of more matches.
*Also in the interim efforts should be made to strengthen some of the 'weaker' teams with players from more established countries so as to maintain an overall standard of performance while the benefits of the development programs kick-in.
If the structural development of the women's game does not have a strategic direction, the gap between the WI and the leading teams such as Australia, England, India, and New Zealand will continue to widen. The onus is on the CWI to ensure that the 2016 ICC T20 title is not remembered by history as an aberration of the norm!
"I don't feel it is necessary to know exactly what I am. The main interest in life and work is to become someone else that you were not in the beginning." Michel Foucault.