Windies Women start World Cup preparation with team bonding camp

Thu, May 25, '17

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Members of the West Indies Women’s team heading to the ICC Women’s World Cup in the United Kingdom will assemble for a brief camp, starting on Friday in Barbados.

Head coach Vasbert Drakes said the focus of the camp will primarily be team bonding, as the side had not been together since last November in India.

“We are eager to get the group together,” said Drakes. “It’s an exciting line-up of players with a balance of established players, a couple of returnees and a group of four new faces.

“This camp will enable the team management unit to spend valuable time with the players and start to build the desire for success in the team, as they get ready to face the challenges of the World Cup.”

Drakes added: “It will be a good opportunity for us to re-create the strong team culture that was a hallmark of our side over the last two years as we worked very hard to qualify for the Women’s World Cup.

“We want to help the new players integrate, while rekindling the camaraderie and relationships with the familiar faces, so that there is a healthy team environment in which everyone can focus on performance and ultimately being successful at the World Cup.”

In addition to team building activities, the members of the squad will also be part of player development sessions, as well as a series of physical assessments during the five-day camp which precedes the team’s departure next Wednesday.

On arrival in the UK, the team will have a 17-day training camp in Southampton, including practice matches against an England Women’s XI on June 6 at Loughborough and the Southern Vipers on June 9 at the Ageas Bowl before moving to the city of Leicester for the formal start of the Women’s World Cup programme.

“We will have almost a month in the UK prior to our opening game in the World Cup to get the team into game mode,” said Drakes.

“We will spend that time trying to get acclimatised to the conditions and being purposeful in our build-up to the tournament, so that we can significantly improve on our past performances and prepare to take on the World.”

The Windies Women were runners-up at the previous Women’s World Cup in India, when Australia Women claimed their sixth title with a 114-run victory at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Stafanie Taylor’s side earned automatic qualification to the Women’s World Cup following their fourth place finish in the ICC Women’s Championship – a tournament contested between the top eight sides in the World over the last two years.