England's women's ODI series with West Indies goes ahead despite hurricane
Wednesday 5 October 2016 23:32, UK
The England women's cricket team's five-match ODI series in the West Indies will go ahead despite adverse weather in Jamaica.
The first fixture will be played as scheduled on Saturday after it was confirmed Trelawny Stadium in Montego Bay and Sabina Park in Kingston are fit for play.
Hurricane Matthew hit the Caribbean island earlier this week but play will go on as planned, with the final three matches forming England's sixth round of ties in the ICC Women's Championship.
England captain Heather Knight said: "It's great news that this five-match ODI series against the West Indies will get underway as planned on Saturday.
"Our preparations have been disrupted a bit due to Hurricane Matthew but we are incredibly lucky the storm didn't hit Jamaica as hard as was originally anticipated.
"We can now fully concentrate on the cricket and look forward to the action starting at the weekend.
"This is a big series for both teams as we get into the business end of the ICC Women's Championship, so the final three ODIs in Kingston, which count towards that, are really important."
The first two matches in Montego Bay - the second coming on Monday - will be followed by that trio of fixtures on Kingston on October 14, 16 and 19.
Stafanie Taylor's West Indies side currently sit in second place in the ICC Women's Championship table, one place and one point above England.
They were last in action in South Africa in February, when they recorded a 2-1 ODI series victory.
With just two rounds of the Championship remaining, a 3-0 score line against the West Indies would see England secure one of the four automatic qualification spots for the home 50-over World Cup next summer.
Following the series in the West Indies, England women will travel to Sri Lanka in November to contest their final round of the ICC Women's Championship.
