The South African women's cricket team, the Proteas, were sent in to bat first by the West Indies Women in the opening One Day International (ODI) of their series. The West Indies won the toss and elected to field at the Three Ws Oval in Cave Hill, Barbados on Wednesday afternoon.
This match marks the beginning of a three-match ODI series, followed by a three-game T20 International (T20I) series in the Caribbean. The Proteas Women are hoping to start the series strongly.
Before the match, Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt acknowledged that the West Indies are a dangerous team and should not be underestimated, even considering their recent struggles on their tour of England.
"They're a team that can easily take the game away from you with how much power they have. We're still going to do our due diligence with our planning and make sure that we're on top of our game," Wolvaardt said.
The Proteas received a significant boost with the return of star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, who had been resting recently.
South Africa Women XI: Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nondumiso Shangase, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayanda Hlubi, Ayabonga Khaka
West Indies Women XI: Hayley Matthews, Qiana Joseph, Realeanna Grimmond, Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Shemaine Campbelle, Jannillea Glasgow, Aaliyah Alleyne, Zaida James, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack
West Indies Squad Announced
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced their 15-member squad for the home series against South Africa Women, which will be held at the 3Ws Oval in Barbados from June 11th to 23rd. The series will include three ODIs and three T20Is.
The Maroon Warriors are returning to the Caribbean after a tough tour of England, where they failed to win a single match in the six-match ODI and T20I series. Back home, the team is focused on rebuilding and delivering better performances.
Despite the disappointing results in England, Jahzara Claxton and Realeanna Grimmond showed promise. Captain Hayley Matthews was the standout performer in the T20I series, scoring 177 runs and taking three wickets, earning her the player of the series award.
The Proteas Women are ranked higher than the West Indies in both ODI and T20I formats. South Africa is 5th in both rankings, while the West Indies are 9th in ODIs and 5th in T20Is.
Hayley Matthews will captain the squad, with Chinelle Henry replacing Cherry-Ann Fraser.
Miles Bascombe, CWI Director of Cricket, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to recover: “After a challenging tour, this home series offers the perfect opportunity for the team to regain their footing and reestablish their confidence playing in familiar conditions and in front of West Indian fans.”