Cricket West Indies (CWI) has made a significant appointment, announcing Robert Samuels as the Interim Head Coach for the West Indies Women's team ahead of the upcoming white-ball series against Ireland in St. Lucia. The series will feature One-day International (ODI) matches as well as T20 Internationals (T20Is).
Samuels, a former Jamaica captain and West Indies batsman, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Throughout his career, he played six Test matches, eight ODIs, 106 first-class matches, and 77 List A matches. Prior to this appointment, he served as an Assistant Coach with the West Indies Women's team.
CWI's High-Performance Manager, Graeme West, expressed confidence in Samuels' ability to lead the team during this period. "Robert brings continuity and stability to get the team through this period," said West. "He has great knowledge of the players and the women's game in general, as well as a strong understanding of the support staff. His transition into the role of Interim Head Coach has been seamless."
According to a press release on Thursday, West highlighted Samuels' impact and positive start since taking over as Interim Head Coach. Samuels has been working on implementing his own ideas and strategies to guide the team to success during the series.
Assisting Samuels in his coaching duties are former West Indies spin bowler Ryan Austin and Steve Liburd, the former Leeward Islands batsman and captain. Liburd, who is also the head coach of the West Indies U19 Rising Stars, will provide valuable support to the team during the white-ball series.
The West Indies Women's team, comprising 18 members, is currently engaged in a training camp at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia. They are rigorously preparing to face Ireland Women in the three-match ODI series, set to commence on Monday. Following the ODIs, a three-match T20I series will be played from July 4 to 8.
This series holds significant importance for the West Indies Women's team as it represents their only home fixture in 2023. The three ODIs are crucial for their participation in the ICC Women's Championship, where they aim to secure points and strive for a top-five position, which would guarantee automatic qualification for the ICC 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup. The team is determined to deliver strong performances and make a mark in their quest for World Cup qualification.
Match Schedule:
All matches are to be played at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St. Lucia:
ODI Series:
June 26: 1st ODI
June 28: 2nd ODI
July 1: 3rd ODI
T20I Series:
July 4: 1st T20I
July 6: 2nd T20I
July 8: 3rd T20I