Blue Water U15 Development League launched in Linden

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Friday officially launched the Blue Water U15 Girls' Development League in Linden, Region 10, with two dynamic games between Wisburg Secondary School, Mackenzie High School, and Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School. The afternoon games were held on the Wisburg Secondary School pitch in Wismar, and students , teachers, parents and residents attended.

A total of eight secondary schools in Linden jumped at the chance to be part of the Blue Water U15 Girls' Development League, which was launched in Georgetown in May 2022.

“It’s fantastic to see on the first day we have all the schools out here. I am also happy that the spectators came out. The launch has been a tremendous success. We are happy to see the support from the community as we seek to ensure football is accessible to girls in Linden,” shared GFF’s acting Technical Director Bryan Joseph.

He added: “All of the head teachers we have spoken to liked the idea. They have been waiting for something like this.”

GFF and Blue Water, with the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, created the league to promote football development among girls in communities across Guyana, with an aim to develop young talent for the national teams and to give coaches and match officials more opportunities on and off the pitch.

Nikita Wayne of Wisburg Secondary School has said her team, the Wisburg Epic Stars, came “together in training” and “everybody put their best foot forward.” They defeated Mackenzie High School’s Spaniards Team Two 4-0 in the opening game.

The second match, between Mackenzie High School’s Spaniards Team One and ChristianburgWismar Secondary School’s Multi Red Dragons, ended in a nil-nil draw.

Lois Moseley, Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School’s acting Headmaster, praised the league for giving young girls in Linden a platform that promotes health and discipline.

“I really think it's a great initiative. One of the things I admire most about it (is that) it really helps to keep them focused. Because, as we all know, an active body keeps an active mind.” their 14th consecutive defeat in T20Is.

She added that many of the girls had never played football before, but the league gives them an opportunity to develop a new skill.

“We will try to see how many practice sessions we can put in, to try and develop their skills,” Moseley promised.

GFF President Wayne Forde and the Council are committed to elevating women’s football through the identification of new talent and creation of strategic developmental programmes, including the Blue Water U15 League.

Matthews flies, Taylor stalls manner experienced by the hosts, South Africa, during their opening-night defeat to Sri Lanka.

Victory was sealed in emphatic fashion by Knight pumping Chinelle Henry over long-off for six.

Slam Dunkley sets the tone

England have talked up the aggressive approach adopted since the arrival of Jon Lewis as head coach, and they walked the walk at the start of what could have been a tricky chase. Dunkley was the aggressor-in-chief, the opener taking particular liking to Matthews's offspin when the West Indies captain brought herself on in the third over.

Matthews' first ball was dumped serenely over longon for the first six of the match, and she proceeded to go over the top twice more with a pair of controlled lofts towards long-off.

England had 37 on the board when Danni Wyatt holed out to deep cover in the next over, and raised their 50 from just 29 balls, before Dunkley's fun was cut short by a magnificent reflex caught-and-bowled from Henry.

Sciver-Brunt and Knight keep the foot down England were already more than halfway to their target when Capsey was stumped yards out of her ground as she was giving Afy Fletcher the charge. After eight overs, the requirement was a comfortable 61 from 72, but SciverBrunt and Knight ensured they would not get bogged down by scoring at almost ten an over during their partnership.

Zaina James, the 18-year-old spinner, playing her second T20I, saw her first ball -- a high full toss that was called a noball -- swatted disdainfully over the rope at deep square leg by Sciver-Brunt, while Knight brought out the reverse sweep for her first boundary later in the over. In all, there were six overs in which England scored two or more boundaries, and there was no letting up as West Indies were handed

Having won the toss, West Indies sent out their two most experienced batters at the top of the order. Matthews has been carrying her side in recent times, but the return of Taylor for her first T20I since July 2021, following a back problem, came with the promise of greater support - although, in the event, Matthews continued to do the bulk of the hard work.

She was in regal touch during the powerplay, during which eight fours flowed off her bat. Matthews got stuck in to Lauren Bell's wayward third over of the innings, cutting and driving successive boundaries, and she took a brace of fours cessfully overturned Vrinda Rathi's lbw decision. After six overs, she had 3 off 13while Matthews had peeled off 37 from 23 at the other end.

But then, to the second ball after the powerplay, Taylor played back to Sarah Glenn and was put out of her misery.

Campbelle keeps Windies out of the soup off Ecclestone and then three more from Katherine Sciver-Brunt - two deftly steered to deep third, the other a rocket pull - in the sixth, to leave West Indies in a healthy position.

The dismissal of Matthews, by way of lbw in attempting to sweep Ecclestone, was the point at which England began to exert their grip. Shabika Gajnabi was run out in the next over as she attempted to come back for two, and West Indies were grateful to Campbelle's nimble feet and hands during a stand of 41 from 31 with Henry.

Taylor had been far less fluent, struggling to get bat on ball, and taking 10 deliveries to get off the mark. She was given out in Bell's first over, but suc-

Campbelle struck four fours and five twos, but was brilliantly held by Jones standing up to the wicket, before Knight's direct hit ran out Henry.

Ecclestone helped prevent any lower-order heroics, finish with tidy figures of 3 for 24 as England conceded just one boundary from the final 23 balls of the innings. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Scoreboard

West Indies Women (20 ovs maximum) Hayley Matthews (c) lbw b Ecclestone 42

Stafanie Taylor lbw b Glenn 3

Shemaine Campbelle c †Jones b Brunt 34

Shabika Gajnabi run out

(Capsey/†Jones) 2

Chinelle Henry run out (Knight) 14

Chedean Nation not out 9

Afy Fletcher lbw b Ecclestone 10

Zaida James lbw b Ecclestone 2

Shamilia Connell not out 1

Extras (b 2, lb 4, w 12) 18

TOTAL 20 Ov (RR: 6.75) 135/7

Fall of wickets: 1-47

(Stafanie Taylor, 6.2 ov), 2-69

(Hayley Matthews, 10.2 ov), 3-71

(Shabika Gajnabi, 11.1 ov), 4-112

(Shemaine Campbelle, 16.2 ov), 5-113

(Chinelle Henry, 16.5 ov), 6-128

(Afy Fletcher, 18.4 ov), 7-130

(Zaida James, 18.6 ov)

BOWLING O-M-R-W

Lauren Bell 3-0-20-0

Katherine Sciver-Brunt 3-0-23-1

Charlie Dean 4-0-29-0

Sophie Ecclestone 4-0-23-3

Sarah Glenn 4-0-20-1

Nat Sciver-Brunt