Not much is written about the history and development of West Indies women’s cricket especially when compared to WI men’s cricket. While it is important to acknowledge a gap exists in the literature, a concerted effort must be made to fill this void. This challenge is commenced with a brief general insight into the 33 T&T players who have played for the WI in any of the three formats from 1976 to the present.
The West Indies women have played a total of 12 Test matches since their inaugural Test series against Australia in the Caribbean in 1976. Between 1976-79 they played 11 matches and their last Test match was in 2004 against Pakistan.
Eleven (11) TT players have represented the WI in test cricket: Louise Browne; Beverly Browne; Jasmine Sammy; Menota Tekah; Nora St. Rose; Patricia Alfred-Moses; Shirley-Ann Bonaparte; Merlyn Edwards; Felicia Cummings; Stephanie Power and Envis Williams. Louise Browne was the first WI test captain and along with sister Beverly Browne, Jasmine Sammy, and Menota Tekah played in the WI first test match against Australia in 1976. Stephanie Power was the captain of the Test match against Pakistan in 2004.
Louise Browne is the leading WI Test batter with 348 runs in nine matches with the highest score of 67 and two half-centuries. Beverly Browne with 324 runs in 11 matches with the highest score of 72 and two half-centuries, is second among WI batters. Other notable T&T run scorers are Jasmine Sammy with 134 runs and Shirley-Ann Bonaparte, 106 runs. The leading T&T bowler in Test cricket is Nora St. Rose with 10 wickets at an average of 16.00 and best bowling of 3 for 21. Felicia Cummings in her only Test match in 2004, has the best bowling figure for a T&T player of 4 for 54 against Pakistan.
West Indies played its first One Day International (ODI) against England in 1979 and since then 31 players from T&T have played for the West Indies: Louise Browne; Beverly Browne; Shirley-Ann Bonaparte; Jasmine Sammy; Merlyn Edwards; Patricia Alfred-Moses; Ann Browne-John; Eve Caesar; Dianne Cagen; Carol -Ann James; Desire Luke; Cherry-Ann Singh; Stephanie Power; Anne-Marie McEwen; Gwen Smith; Brenda Solzano; Envis Williams; Shane de Silva; Nelly Williams; Felicia Cummings; Anisa Mohammed; Kirbyina Alexander; Stacy-Ann King; Merissa Aguilleira; Lee-Ann Kirby; Gaitri Seetahal; Amanda Samaroo; Britney Cooper; Felicia Walters; Reniece Boyce; and Karishma Ramharack.
The leading T&T ODI batter is Merissa Aguilleira with 1752 runs in 112 matches with a highest score of 71 and six 50s. She is also the leading WI wicketkeeper with 104 dismissals – 78 catches and 26 stumpings. Aguilleira also captained the WI ODI team on 74 occasions (2009-2015) with a winning percentage of 53%.
Following Aguilleira is 2. Stacy-Ann King 885 runs in 75 matches with a best of 70; 3. Nelly Williams 620 runs in 30 matches with a best score of 82 not out and three 50s; 4. Anisa Mohammed 512 runs in 122 matches with her highest score being 31; 5. Britney Cooper 448 runs in 43 matches. Her best score was an unbeaten 55 not out; 6. Carol-Ann James with 250 runs in 11 matches and she produced a best of 99 not out and two 50s; 7. Ann Browne-John 204 runs in 11 matches with a high score of 65 not out; 8. Stephanie Power 183 runs in 34 matches with a best of 28; 9. Shane de Silva 173 runs in 18 matches with 38 as her best, and 10. Envis Williams 120 runs in 21 matches with a highest score of 28. Ann Browne-John (9 matches); Stephanie Power (25 matches); Envis Williams (1 match) and Anisa Mohammed (1 match) have also captained the WI ODI team.
Anisa Mohammed has been the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies in ODI with 122 wickets at 20.51 with a best bowling figure of 7/14. The other T&T ODI bowlers include 2. Stacy-Ann King 22 wickets with best bowling of 3/33; 3. Envis Williams 18 wickets with a best bowling of 3/9; 4. Kirbyina Alexander 17 wickets with a best of 3/6; 5. Carol-Ann James 16 wickets with a best bowling of 3/16; 6. Cherry Ann Singh 13 wickets backed by her best effort of 5/36; 7. Felicia Cummings 12 wickets with best bowling 3/30 and 8. Desire Luke 10 wickets with best bowling of 3/27.
Since the WI first T20 against Ireland in 2008, ten (10) T&T players have played for the WI: Kirbyina Alexander; Stacy-Ann King; Lee-Ann Kirby; Anisa Mohammed; Gaitri Seetahal; Merissa Aguilleira; Britney Cooper; Amanda Samaroo; Renice Boyce; and Karishma Ramharack.
The leading T&T T20 batter is Stacy-Ann King with 989 runs in 86 matches with a highest score of 81 and 3 50s. Following King is 2. Merissa Aguilleira 768 runs in 95 matches with a highest score of 39 not out; 3. Britney Cooper 582 runs in 69 matches with a highest score of 61 and 4. Anisa Mohammed with 151 runs and a highest score of 20. Aguilleira has 72 wicketkeeping dismissals (38 catches and 34 stumpings).
As in ODIs, Anisa Mohammed is the lead WI wicket-taker with 120 wickets at 17.30 with best figures of 5/10. Stacy-Ann King is the only other TT bowler to have taken more than 10 wickets in T20 with 18 wickets and best bowling figures of 3/19.
