West Indies women spared World Cup dumping

West Indies women will be going to the World Cup next year after all after the ECB jumped on board to help them get there.

The side were in very real danger of having to forfeit their place in next year's tournament in Australia through not meeting their quota of internationals; they had not played since the World Cup in 2005 when they had gained automatic qualification through their top-five finish. The death knell appeared to have been sounded when the proposed visits of Pakistan and India last year did not come to fruition.

However, they are now able to fulfill their obligations with England agreeing to add two ODIs to their own summer calendar, while Ireland and Netherlands have also said they will host them. The news also means that West Indies can take part in next year's World Twenty20, when the women's game will share the spotlight as it is scheduled alongside the men.

The problems had come about when the women's game suddenly came under the auspices of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) following an ICC merger which had left all boards to look after women's cricket in their country. The cash-strapped WICB, which was already in dire financial straits, at first left them to flounder; in the words of a former board member, the WICB was "killing women's cricket" in West Indies.

But now the cash has been found for the tour, and Clare Connor, the ECB's head of women's cricket, said she was delighted to have assisted. "It's great to be able to help them with their qualification," said Connor, "but it also gives England vital preparation for the forthcoming series against South Africa and India.

"With Sherwin Campbell at the helm as head coach, we are keen to see how they have developed. There is every chance that we may face them in Australia next year or at the World Twenty20 in June here in England - these two ODIs will therefore act as good preparation in case we come up against them at those global tournaments."

Both matches will be at Loughborough on July 11 and 12 and will be the first time the sides have met since 1993, after rain washed out both chances they had to play each other in the 2005 World Cup.

More good news for the development of the game is that Barbados women will play in an Under-15 boys' league which can only help their improvement. After a turbulent, worrying time a year ago, women's cricket in West Indies seems to be heading slowly in the right direction.