GIRL POWER!

Growth in regional Women’s cricket pleases Grange

SPORTS MINISTER Olivia Grange has pledged that the Jamaican government will assist women's cricket across the region.

Grange’s comment came Sunday night at Hotel Four Seasons during the closing ceremony of the just-concluded Cricket West Indies Women’s Championships held in Jamaica.

The Championships included the T20 Blaze and the Super 50.

Minister Grange said, “from what I see for myself and from the assurance I get from the experts, the Women’s game is gaining in prominence. For instance, we will be seeing, for the first time, a stand-alone Women’s World Championship when the 2018 International Cricket Council Women’s World Cup, is staged in the West Indies in November this year.

She said more West Indies women cricketers were now getting central contracts, while the standouts among them were becoming household names throughout the region.

But the minister said more must be done for women’s cricket, especially to produce the next generation of players to sustain the hard work of this generation.

INCLUSION QUOTAS

Along those lines, Grange said that the Government of Jamaica, through the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS), has partnered with the Jamaica Cricket Association to stage the Primary Schools Cricket Competition, a condition of which must be the inclusion of two young females in each squad and that one must play in the team.

“I want to encourage the Jamaica Cricket Association to further insist on two to three young females being included in the playing eleven.”

“And I want to give the assurance once again to Cricket West Indies and the Jamaica Cricket Association that the Jamaican Government will support any initiative to assist in the further development of the Women’s Cricket.”

The sport minister congratulated the Jamaica team for emerging the T20 Blaze champions and the Barbados for winning the Super 50 section of the Championships.

At the same time, she commended Cricket West Indies and the Jamaica Cricket Association for the efficient staging of the Championships.

CONTRIBUTED Sports Minister Olivia Grange (right) presents Jamaica Women’s team captain Stafanie Taylor with the Cricket West Indies Regional T20 Blaze trophy on Sunday night. Hosts Jamaica defeated Barbados on June 18, to claim the title.