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The WICB has announced that Stafanie Taylor will be the new captain of the West Indies Women’s team. She succeeds Merissa Aguilleira, whose tenure of captain started at the 2009 ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia.

The appointment was recommended by the WICB Selection Panel and endorsed by the Directors during a teleconference meeting on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Taylor, who is a top-order batsman and part-time off-spinner, has played 84 One-day and 62 Twenty20 Internationals, since making her debut for Windies Women. She has been the long-standing vice-captain of the team and led Jamaica Women to a sweep of the Regional Women’s titles between 2010 and 2014.

Head WICB selector Clive Lloyd said Taylor had many of the qualities needed to be an inspirational leader.

“Merissa has been there for a long time and did a pretty good job, but we feel the time is right for a new leader and we have chosen Stafanie,” said Lloyd. “She has done well for Windies Women with bat and ball, and has led Jamaica Women successfully, so leading the team would not be alien to her.

“It’s a change that we hope will bring new energy to the team and take it from strength to strength. We believe we can develop a pretty good women’s team for the future and we see Stafanie as the person that could give us that impetus for the future. . .Stafanie has played quite a lot, she has been ICC Player-of-the-Year and she will be able to lead by example.”

Commenting on the announcement, WICB President Whycliffe “Dave” Cameron said: “The Directors have confidence in the decision made by the selectors and accept that it has been made in the best interests of the women’s team.

“Stafanie has held a senior role in our women’s team for some time and has been a good role model for the younger players. She is someone who we believe can take on more responsibility and we congratulate her on this appointment.”

He said: “We also would like to thank Merissa for her leadership of the Windies Women over the last six years, a period during which she helped to establish the side as one of most competitive in the World.

“She was the longest serving West Indies Women’s captain, leading the team to the Final of the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2013 in India and the semi-finals of the last three ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup.”