WEST Indies women's coach Shane Deitz wants his team to play "calypso" cricket against Australia in a three-match T20 series, bowling off at 9.20 pm (TT time) at the North Sydney Oval, Australia on Saturday.
West Indies defeated New South Wales by six wickets in a practice match on Thursday.
"It is good to get the first win on tour," Deitz told Cricket West Indies media.
Aaliyah Alleyne and Zaida James put on an unbroken partnership of 32 runs for the seventh wicket after West Indies were reduced to 74/6 in the 13th over. Alleyne ended on 19 not out off 16 deliveries and James struck an unbeaten 15 off 18 balls to steer West Indies to 106/6 in 17.5 overs.
Deitz enjoyed the style of cricket Alleyne and James played.
"It is great to close out the game like that and express themselves as players and hit the ball. That's what we talked about. We want to play in a very West Indian, calypso, attacking type of play, and those girls really showed that at the end."
New South Wales, batting first, scored 105/9 in 20 overs. Off-spinner Karishma Ramharack was the chief destroyer, grabbing 3/12 in three overs. Captain and off-spinner Hayley Mattews (2/7) and medium pacer Alleyne (2/13) also did damage with the ball.
Deitz, who believes the spinners can play a major part in this series, said more work has to be done.
"I think we've got a lot of areas we need to improve on, particularly the top-order batting. I think (it is crucial) getting used to these wickets with a bit of extra pace and bounce on them, compared to what the girls played on in the WCPL (Women's Caribbean Premier League).
"It was our first outing. We were a bit rusty, but I think we played generally pretty good all round, and it is going to put us in a good position to play on Sunday (Saturday night TT time)."
