By Neto Baptiste
National female cricketer Shawnisha Hector said she will do everything in her power to make her mark on West Indies cricket as she seeks to maintain her newfound status as a West Indies female player.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Hector said she is preparing herself to do well with both bat and ball for the upcoming ODI home series against India.
“My goal is to go out and play, take as [many] wickets as possible and make the team a better team. I am a pace bowler and most likely to become a lower order batsman. I already told myself that I know what has to be done and just put in the hard work because everybody is backing me and I could do this,” she said.
Hector, on Saturday, was named in a 14-member squad for the first two ODIs scheduled to begin at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua on November 1st (Independence Day). Her accomplishment is an historic one as she stands to become the first female cricketer from Antigua to play for the regional squad.
Hector described the moment she learnt of her selection as a “good feeling”.
“It was a good feeling being around my teammates when I found out. I found out personally in a meeting and then I shared the information with my teammates. It felt great and I just have to keep believing in myself,” she said.
Hector and Barbadian all-rounder, Aaliyah Alleyne, impressed the selectors during a training camp.
Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation, who missed their last home series against Australia through injury, will return to the Stafanie Taylor-led 14-member squad.
In July this year, Hector was amongst seven new players contracted by Cricket West Indies in early July after leading the Leeward Islands senior women’s team in the regional tournament.
West Indies are set to play three ODIs and five T20Is against India across three venues with Antigua hosting all three ODIs. St Lucia and Providence stadium in Guyana shall play host to the five ODIs that will end on November 20th.
West Indies women squad for the first two ODIs: Stafanie Taylor (c), Anisa Mohammed, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Britney Cooper, Chedean Nation, Chinelle Henry, Stacy-Ann King, Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Shabika Gajnabi, Shawnisha Hector, Shemaine Campbelle, and Sheneta Grimmond.