Deitz: Windies Women need to improve in ‘lots of areas’

West Indies Women’s head coach, Shane Deitz, says his team needs to address “lots of areas” following a disappointing tour of India, which concluded recently at the Kotambi International Cricket Stadium.

The West Indies lost the T20I series 2-1 and were swept 3-0 in the following One Day International series.
During a post-match press conference, Deitz said, “We have to be able to bowl six balls in one spot, not just four balls and then release the pressure. We have to be able to build pressure for longer.”

“Our attitude, our fitness as well, that’s a huge thing. Our batters throw their wicket away at 30, 40, you have to go on and make a hundred, that’s ODI cricket. Those are the main areas”.

He added that with regional tournaments slated for early 2025, along with series against Bangladesh, South Africa, and England, the West Indies Women had a packed cricket schedule.

However, he maintained that their primary focus would be to qualify for the 2025 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in India from August to September.
“We have the Bangladesh series coming up and then our Regional 50-over competition and the Qualifiers, they’re just after that, so we have to make sure that we qualify for the World Cup first, and then we have series against England and South Africa.

“So, we have a lot of cricket coming up, but we have to make sure we play well in that Qualifier to make sure we’re here next year for that World Cup,” Deitz said.

Following the West Indies opening match on Dec. 22, India amassed an impressive 314 for nine from their 50 overs, their second-highest total at home in an ODI. This led to the West Indies facing their worst ODI defeat by an embarrassing 211 runs.

Then, on Dec. 24, India again accumulated 358 for five, their joint-highest ODI score, to win by 115 runs and take an indestructible 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Deitz said, “[Our bowling] has been very disappointing. The last few months leading up to the World Cup, bowling was a real strength of ours.”

“We haven’t been able to bowl consistent lines and lengths or bowl to a field, and on the good wickets here with fast outfields, you’ve got to be able to cut off one side of the field and be able to bowl to a field. We haven’t been able to do that,” Deitz explained.

“We’ve been leaking two bad balls an over going for four minimum, and the Indian team have batted really well, punished anything we’ve missed.
“Obviously, Chinelle Henry is our key fast bowler, and she’s been out injured, which has been a big miss for us. We haven’t been able to get wickets in the power play,” he added.