The Canadian women’s squad has been selected for next week’s ICC Twenty20 Championship Qualifier in Ireland. Mikaela Turik will captain the side, which includes the experienced Suthershini Sivanantham who played 27 ODI’s for Sri Lanka between 1997 and 2003 before appearing in Canada’s colours.
Canadian squad: Mikaela Turik (captain), Maria Bahizi, Jenna Bartholemew, Christine Blackadder, Kim Coulter (wicketkeeper), Lorraine Kenton, Kamna Mirchandani, Monali Patel, Saniya Zia, Durriya Shabbir, Suthershini Sivanantham, Sherryl Tittlemeier, Vijayani Vithanage and Jo White.
Some of the Canadian squad were seen in action during a Women’s Exhibition game on Canada Day at Maple Leaf Cricket Club as a result of a change in the schedule for the T20 phase of the CIBC National Cricket League. Team Abigail won the game by eight runs with Mikaela Turik taking three Team Sherrff wickets for 17 and Kamna Michandani took two for 27. Suthershini Sivanantham scored 25 for Team Sherriff.
Turik and Mirchandani had each made 12 runs when Team Abigail batted. Monali Patel took two wickets for 26 runs.
The ICC issued a media circular on Tuesday (July 16) which stated three teams from the Ireland Twenty20 Qualifier will advance to the 2014 ICC Twenty20 championships in Bangaldesh. The Super Four phase in the original schedule for this event is now replaced by two semi-final matches for the top two teams in each of two groups.
Canada is in Group B along with Sri Lanka, Ireland and Japan. Canada is due to meet Sri Lanka on July 23, then play host Ireland on July 25 and conclude group action with a game against Japan. [Astute readers of today’s ICC Media release might have noticed the Netherlands were shown as playing both Thailand and Canada on the morning of July 25, but it will be Canada and Ireland meeting in Group B action that morning. But a correction may well be distributed, as happens from time to time.] The lower two teams in each group also playoff in matches to determine the lower rankings.
Best wishes to the Canadian squad for this tournament in which Canada is seeded sixth.
Women’s T20 Exhibition Game: Team Abigail v Team Sherriff
Played: July 1, 2013 on South-East pitch, Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City, Ontario
Team Abigail 131 for 8 wickets (20 ov: Nicole Samuels 53, Farah Aftab 18*, Kamna Mirchandani12, Mikaela Turik 12; Achini Perera 4-0-16-2 and Monali Patel 4-0-26-2)
Team Sherriff 123 (19.5 ov: Chuntell Martin 28, Suthershini Sivanantham 25, Natahsa Springett 23; Mikaela Turik 3.5-0–17-3 and Kamna Mirchandani 4-0-27-2).
Result: Team Abigail beat Team Sherriff by eight runs
(Eddie Norfolk)