Jamaica to host WI Women, England ODIs

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Twenty20 World champions West Indies Women will turn their attention to the 50 overs format when they clash with England Women in a five-match one-day international (ODI) series this October in the Caribbean.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday confirm that the two sides would meet in a series from October 8-19, with the three final games designated with ICC Women's Championship points.

For West Indies Women, the tournament will be the first since winning the Twenty20 World Cup in India last month and WICB's project officer for women's cricket, Josina Luke, said the series is "great" for the women's game regionally.

"Winning the World T20 continues to be great for women's cricket in the Caribbean," Luke said. "We are taking nothing for granted and we look forward to an exciting series with England."

MISSED BY A WICKET

West Indies Women and their English rivals met during the T20 World Cup in Dharamsala, when the Caribbean side missed out by one wicket in a last-ball thriller during the group stage.

England Women's head coach, Mark Robinson, said the recent T20 World Cup had been a stern reminder of the Caribbean side's quality and noted his squad was preparing for a tough battle.

"The five-match ODI series against the West Indies in Jamaica will be a great test for us," Robinson said.

"We all saw during the ICC Women's World T20 what a talented side they are, and they will be especially dangerous in home conditions. It should be a really exciting tour and a challenge that we will relish."

The first two games have been scheduled for October 8 and 10 at the little-used Trelawny Stadium, which first hosted warm-up games for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, but to date has never staged an international fixture.

For the last three games, the teams will turn their attention to the historic Sabina Park in Kingston, where they play games on October 14, 16 and 19.

West Indies Women are second in the ICC Women's Championship on 20 points, four points adrift of Australia Women.

England, in the meantime, are way off the pace lying sixth on 13 points.