Despite entering the bilateral series against the USA (July 26-August 3at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, Trinidad) with home advantage and having just completed the Rising Stars Regional Under-19 tournament, the West Indies U-19 Women's performance fell short of expectations.
A promising start in the first T20 International (T20I) quickly gave way to inconsistency, particularly due to a fragile batting order. Their 1-3 series defeat against an Associate ICC Member raises several red flags regarding team preparation, execution, and overall development strategy.
In the first T20, albeit winning, the West Indies lost five wickets in 15.4 overs chasing a modest 67 runs. Only Naijanni Cumberbatch, 26 runs, and Eboni Brathwaite, 10 runs, got to double figures, and extras accounted for 17 runs. However, in subsequent matches, the team failed to chase modest totals of 104 and 88, and was unable to defend 89 runs, raising questions about technical ability and mental resolve, especially under pressure.
Eboni Brathwaite had an aggregate of 70 runs in four innings with a highest score of 53 runs off 37 balls in the fourth match with five fours and four sixes. The two other batters with an aggregate of 20 runs or more in four innings were Samara Ramnath, 55 runs (top score 35 runs not out), and Naijanni Cumberbatch, 46 runs (top score 26 runs). The West Indies struck 23 fours and five sixes compared to the USA's 20 fours and one six. However, the West Indies batter’s inability to rotate strike or handle spin, especially in the middle overs, led to pressure build-up, followed by frequent collapses. Too often, players threw the kitchen sink instead of building partnerships.
Poor batting throughout the series reflected the same problems at the Rising Stars U-19 tournament that preceded the bilateral series, which has been a perennial problem of the senior West Indies team (except for Hayley Matthews) and territorial teams in regional competitions. Players such as Ramnath, Cumberbatch, (Amrita) Ramtahal, and (Abigail) Bryce, with senior regional (50 overs and T20) and U-19 World experiences, failed to consistently anchor and stamp their authority with the bat.
Cumberbatch led the bowling with seven wickets for 54 runs in three of the four completed games. Her best bowling performance was four wickets for 12 runs, which she followed up with 26 runs in the first game, earning her the player of the match award. Captain Ramnath took six wickets for 46 runs with a best of three wickets for 12 runs. Theanny-Herbert Mayers was third among the wickets with five wickets for 60 runs in the completed matches, with a best of two for 18 runs.
Despite restricting the USA to relatively low scores of 66 runs, 104 runs, and 88 runs, the batters were unable to support the bowlers' efforts, with the exception of the first game. Despite their relatively acceptable effort, the bowlers were guilty of bowling 46 wides in the four completed games. In the last game, notwithstanding bowling the USA for 88 runs, the West Indies conceded 23 wides, which would have been the difference between winning the match and drawing the series.
A key pattern across the series was handling crunch situations with calm and aplomb:
· Even when in control, the team succumbed to scoreboard pressure, especially in the last game to draw the series when chasing 88 runs.
· This inability to hold nerve—especially while chasing low scores—suggests an urgent need for mental conditioning and pressure training.
In three series against the USA since 2022 ( two at home and one away), in 13 completed games, the West Indies U-19 have lost nine matches and won four. Losing yet another home series (1-3) to a USA side still establishing its cricketing identity is yet another wake-up call for women’s cricket development in the region.
A renewed focus is needed on:
· Technical skills for batting against spin and pressure situations;
· Leadership training and tactical planning;
· Fitness and fielding drills;
· Exposure to more international match conditions (Barriteau CARICOM Report 2015);
While the West Indies struggle against an Associate team, other full-member countries, such as Australia, England, Sri Lanka, and India, play each other in their preparations for global events, including the next U-19 World Cup in 2027, to be held in Bangladesh and Nepal. Based on the performance in this year’s bilateral series, the question that has to be asked is, what is the state of readiness for the 2027 World Cup?
