Juliana Nero holding the fort

The state of women’s Cricket in St Vincent and the Grenadines is being brought to light in a glaring way, as Juliana Nero continues to be the lone Vincentian selectee on the West Indies Women’s cricket team.{{more}}

The West Indies will face off with India in three One Day Internationals and five T/20 matches, here in the Caribbean, between February 18 and March 4.

The other Vincentian who was a fixture on the regional side for some time, Cordel Jack, has not represented the West Indies since the tour to South Africa in 2010.

Others who have gained selection in the past were Geneille Greaves and Phernel Charles, but theirs have been very short stints.

Nero, 32, is the oldest member of the current West Indies squad. She made her debut back in 2003, right here in her homeland against Sri Lanka, and scored her first one-day century last year in Bangladesh in the ICC qualifiers.

Nero has represented the West Indies in a solitary test match, 61 One Day Internationals and 19 T/20 fixtures.

At the test level, Nero’s batting average stands at 16.5 and holds an average of 19.96 runs per innings at the ODI level. She has scored four 50s and one century.

At Cricket’s shortest form, Nero’s batting average is 15.77, with a strike rate of 76.75.

Before the start of the series the West Indies will have a one-week camp in Antigua and Barbuda.

The camp is being held at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and the girls will focus on fitness, match analysis and improving their skill levels ahead of the series.

The West Indies will also play two warm-up matches against the Antigua Under-17 boys team this Saturday, February 11 and Sunday February 12.

The West Indies team is once again being led by Merissa Aguillera, who is also the number one wicketkeeper.

Her vice captain is Stafanie Taylor, the ICC 2011 world female player of the year.

The rest of the team reads Shemaine Campbelle, Britney Cooper, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Pearl Etienne, Stacy Ann King, Kycia Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Shaquana Quintyne and Shakera Selman.

The matches against India will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua; Windsor Park in Dominica; and Warner Park in St Kitts. The teams are using the series as part of their preparations for the ICC T20 World Championship, to be played in Sri Lanka in September and October. (RT)