The Jamaica Cricket Association’s Women’s competitions took place this year which included four teams– St Ann Cricket Association, Portland Cricket Association, Melbourne Cricket Club and Westmoreland Cricket Association. In the finale, Westmoreland CA and St Ann CA had an encounter where results turned in St Ann’s favor.
St Ann’s won the toss and elected to field first. They restricted Westmoreland to 100 in 20 overs. In response, St. Ann registered their victory with four wickets in hand and 6 overs to spare, Captain Rashada Williams scored 26 runs while Jerona Walcott proved helpful as she scored 40 runs which earned her the Man-of-the-match award.
The league is not a sponsored one but that doesn’t stop it from happening, JCA’s commitment to strengthen and support women’s cricket is extremely appreciable. In October 2018 the JCA created a five-year strategic youth development plan which, among other things, would focus on national talent identification and preparation from earlier phases to include the women at the under-19 level.
“We have to get more women playing more competitive cricket and at an earlier phase as well,” said JCA CEO Courtney Francis. “Increasing the number of teams in our senior-level women’s competitions will only happen if we get them playing more as teenagers; this has been on the cards for a while and at the 2018 retreat we committed to bringing it to the fore. It is not a sponsored competition just yet, but we will be seeking partnership to help it grow. We have ensured that the coaches at this level are properly equipped and are able to get our ladies technically sound with their stroke play and other areas of playing the sport.”
Francis added: “We must put in the effort as a governing body to ensure that when Stafanie Taylor and the other Jamaicans in the Windies team are exiting the sport there are capable Jamaicans to replace them and to eclipse the high standards set by the current crop of women cricketers.”
Source: Jamaica-star.com
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