Leeward Islands to debut in Regional Women's Tournament

All six territorial boards of the West Indies Cricket Board will find representation for the first time in the upcoming Regional Women's Tournament, comprising the limited-overs format, starting Thursday. Leewards Islands will field a team for the first time in the tournament, while Windward Islands will play as a single unit, also for the first time.

Windwards earlier had each of its four nations - Dominica, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenada - playing as individual teams when the regional tournament was an eight-team competition. That changed in 2015 when Windwards fielded only two outfits - North and South.

"We want to welcome Leewards Women into the fold and are looking forward to them playing a valuable role in the expansion of the women's game in the region," Josina Luke, WICB project officer for women's cricket, said. "We have spent the last year working with the Leewards in the development of this squad, following a decision by our directors to have them involved this year, so this is another step towards strengthening the base of the women's game in the region and expanding our talent pool.

"The banding together of the talents of the Windwards Women helps us to streamline our tournaments and bring greater competitiveness to the overall women's game, as the ultimate aim is to create a stronger West Indies Women's team with a view to winning more global titles."

Leewards will be captained by Shawnisha Hector, the Antiguan pacer, while Afy Fletcher, the West Indies Women's legspinner, will lead Windwards.

The tournament, this year, will comprise the Super50 as well as Twenty20 competitions. "We want to broaden the pool of players for the West Indies Women's team, bearing in mind two important things," Luke said. "First, we are well-placed for automatic qualification for the ICC Women's World Cup next year in England and want to remain on that trajectory with important series in the ICC Women's Championship later this year against England at home and India on the road. Also, we want to fortify our squad in the T20 format, so we can continue to put forward the kind of performances that enhance our position as World champions."

The tournament will begin with the Super50 competition. Barbados, the defending champions, will face Trinidad & Tobago. Leewards will take on five-time champions Jamaica, while hosts Guyana kickstart their campaign against Windwards. Each of the teams will meet the others once in the round-robin stage, which will consist of five matches of 50-overs-a-side. The teams with the maximum points will clash in the final, on July 17.

The T20 tournament will take place four days later with three games on each match day, all of them at the Guyana National Stadium, before a final round of play-off matches to determine positions on July 25.

Barbados: Shaquana Quintyne (captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Keila Elliott, Allison Gordon, Reshelle Griffith, Malissa Howard, Kycia Knight, Hayley Matthews, Shakera Selman, Charlene Taitt, , Shanna Thompson, Tiffany Thorpe

Guyana Tremayne Smartt (captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Shabika Gajnabi, Erva Giddings, Melanie Henry, Mandy Mangru, Plaffiana Millington, Subrina Munroe, Kaysia Shultz, Heema Singh, Latoya Smith, Akaze Thompson, Lashuna Toussaint, Kavita Yadram

Jamaica Stafanie Taylor (captain), Alecia Bookal, Shanel Daley, Keneshia Ferron, Chinelle Henry, Corrine, Howell, Natasha McLean, Jodian Morgan, Chedean Nation, Roshana Outar, Tameka Sanford, Jerona Walcott, Vanessa Watts, Rashada Williams

Leeward Islands Shawnisha Hector (captain), Jasmine Clarke, Melicia Clarke, Davanna Claxton, Kimberly Dookhan, Amanda Edwards, Sherma Jackson, Rozel Liburd, Terez Parker, Grace Persaud, Kerisha Powell, Jenisen Richards, Eldora Sylvester, Saneldo Willett

Trinidad & Tobago Merissa Aguilleira (captain), Kirbyina Alexander, Reniece Boyce, Britney Cooper, Rosalie Dolabaille, Stacy Ann King, Lee Ann Kirby, Shenelle Lord, Anisa Mohammed, Selene O'Neil, Kamara Ragoobar, Karishma Ramharack, Amanda Samaroo, Rachael Vincent

Windward Islands Afy Fletcher (captain), Stacy Ann Adams, Holly Charles, Roylyn Cooper, Nerissa Crafton, Krisani Irish, Qiana Joseph, Juliana Nero, Akeira Peters, Rosilia Registe, Yasmine St. Ange, Glendeen Turtin, Rackel Williams, Swayline Williams