Lankan women’s team to play five one-dayers against Windies

CHINTHANA WASALA

Sri Lankan women’s cricket team will get the much needed international exposure when they take on the West Indies women in five ODIs from November 05 to 12 under the captaincy of Shashikala Siriwardene with a team with a new look.

Siriwardene the Sri Lankan skipper since 2005, will be looking forward to improve her record as the skipper as her team became the runner-up in the Women’s Asia Cup which India won earlier this year. Sri Lanka is ranked fourth and the West Indies are in the eighth slot in the women’s ODI team rankings.

The Sri Lankan team includes two new players, Colombo Cricket Club’s Chandi Wickramaratne and Udeshika Prabhodini while sisters Rose and Hiruka Fernando have been recalled after a long interval. Both are seasoned Sri Lanka caps who have experience in facing West Indies as they were part of the Lankan team which toured West Indies five years back.

Sandamali Kumuduni, Janakanthy Mala, Deepika Rasangika, and Sumudu Fernando, who played in the Asia Cup earlier this year, have been left out from the team. Meanwhile, the West Indies women had a five-day training camp in Barbados ahead of the tour under the guidance of experienced coach former West Indies opening batsman Sherwin Campbell.

He expects the Windies women will pose a big threat to the Asia Cup runner ups as this tour will be a good opportunity in preparation for the International Cricket Council’s Women’s World Cup 2009 to be played in Australia from March 7 to 22, 2009.

West Indies (women): Nadine George (Captain), Kirbyina Alexander (Vice Captain), Merissa Aguilleira, Phernel Charles, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Erva Giddings, Stacy-Ann King, Anisa Mohammed, Juliana Nero, Danielle Small, Charlene Taitt, Stefanie Taylor.

Sri Lanka (women): Shashikala Siriwardene (captain), Chamari Polgampola, Dedunu Silva, Chamika Bandara, Suwini de Alwis, Eshani Kaushalya, Chamani Seneviratna, Sanduni Abeywickrama, Inoka Galagedara, Dilani Manodara (wk), Sripali Weerakkody, Rose Fernando, Chandi Wickramaratne, Udeshika Prabodhini, Hiruka Fernando.