Afy Fletcher says tourists want to “really come out on top in one or two games” against new-look England side
Valkerie Baynes21-May-20251:37
‘The minute you slip, you side’ – Afy Fletcher
Last time they met in a T20I, West Indies ended England’s World Cup campaign in the group stage, sparking a slide that led to a new England coach, captain and squad changes.Since then, West Indies have suffered heartbreak of their own after missing out on qualifying for the 50-over World Cup in India later this year, leaving them searching for a way to hit back on their first engagement since, a tour of England which starts with three T20Is from Wednesday.Afy Fletcher, the West Indies legspinner who has played 93 T20Is and 84 ODIs, believes that while it will take some time yet for her side to recover from the disappointment of missing out on the next global tournament, another win or two against England could put them back on track.Related
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“It’s really, really difficult, it’s really heartbreaking to be honest,” Fletcher tells the ESPNcricinfo Powerplay podcast ahead of the first T20I in Canterbury. “This one really touched everyone.”It was only one chance with each game and the minute you slip, you slide, and that’s what happened. Then the mood was really, really emotional after that last game and, to be honest, it’s going to take a while to get over it, especially when you see the World Cup happening, that’s going to be very sad.”But you learn, you live and you learn from your mistakes. We went to the drawing board and had chats and hopefully that will help. I know that our psychologists have been made use of after that moment.”So I hope we can build and move past that and take the positives to move on, build again from here, from this series going forward and keep expanding on our skills and our knowledge and that it can move us forward together as a team.”T20 cricket is the most brutal format in terms of requiring players to take their chances.England found that out to their peril when they put down five catches in the last encounter between these sides as Qiana Joseph and captain Hayley Matthews broke the back of a modest run chase in Dubai to reach the World Cup semi-finals, where they lost to eventual champions New Zealand.Joseph and Matthews are both in England although West Indies are without big hitters Deandra Dottin and Chinelle Henry. Uncapped Jahzara Claxton, the 19-year-old fast bowler, and 20-year-old allrounder Realeanna Grimmond have been called into their squad in the only changes since last month’s World Cup Qualifier.
Fletcher, meanwhile, was one of three West Indies bowlers in the top-10 wicket-takers for the qualifying tournament with nine wickets at 21.88 and an economy rate of 4.19 including 4 for 20 in the fateful last game, against Thailand. Matthews led with 13 wickets overall, followed by Aaliyah Alleyne’s 12.West Indies successfully chased 167 against Thailand in 10.5 overs but it wasn’t enough to overhaul the net run rate of Bangladesh, who joined Pakistan in going through.It all came down to the 11th over of West Indies’ Innings, when Henry’s run out meant they had to surpass the target to advance on NRR. A four and a single from Alleyne put West Indies on 162 after 10.4 overs so that a four off the next ball would have tied the match and then they would have needed six of the final ball to get to 172 and pass Bangladesh. Instead, Stafanie Taylor hit the next ball for six to end the game with West Indies’ total on 168.”Sometimes you only have one chance,” Fletcher says. “In terms of the importance and the value of that one chance, if you value that and make use of that one chance, that’s one of the things we can take into consideration going forward.”Afy Fletcher helped eject England from the last T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty ImagesEngland made sweeping changes after their 16-0 Ashes defeat in Australia in January, appointing Charlotte Edwards as head coach, replacing Jon Lewis, and naming Nat Sciver-Brunt as captain, a role Heather Knight had held for nine years.They also dropped top-order batter Maia Bouchier, recalling Tammy Beaumont to the T20I squad along with Paige Scholfield. Issy Wong and Emily Arlott bolster the seam-bowling ranks with Lauren Filer still making her way back from a knee injury and Sciver-Brunt playing as a batter only while she continues her recovery from an Achilles tendon problem.Fletcher expects a difficult task against the new England regime.”England has always been a tough opponent on their home ground,” Fletcher says. “We just came from the qualifiers and we’ve been on the back foot. But we had discussions so I think this would be a great opportunity for us to now try and rebuild.”It’s not one of the easiest tours or challenges against a great opposition like England, but I hope that our team can really work together and try to build from this series and try to really come out on top in one or two games. I think that will help the team and help us to go forward from here.”The tour opener in Canterbury will be followed by T20s at Hove and Chelmsford before a three-match ODI series starting in Derby on May 30.