CASTRIES, St Lucia, CANA:
LANCASHIRE women's cricket team returned to England this week after losing their five-match limited overs series against the West Indies women's cricketers.
The Windies girls won 4-0, with the exciting fourth game of the series at the Mindoo Phillip Park declared a draw.
But the series result did not dampen the spirit of the Lancashire women, who were happy about their visit.
"We enjoyed it tremendously and the hospitality was very genuine in Trinidad and St Lucia," Lancashire's team manager Sylvie White said at a farewell reception in honour of the two teams.
The Lancashire captain Arran Thompson, an England representative, was named most outstanding player in both legs of the tour.
In that nail-biting fourth match she moved from 94 to an even unbeaten 100 with a six off the last ball of her team's allotment of 50 overs. She also had five wickets for 65 runs in the two matches here.
Thompson also picked up prizes for the highest individual score 100, highest aggregate (132).
Stephanie Power of the West Indies, was named most outstanding wicketkeeper and her teammate Juliana Neru best bowler with an average of 11.50.
President of the West Indies Women's Cricket Federation, Carol Whilby-Maxwell, who was also manager of the West Indies women's cricket team, said the Lancashire tour was an important step in maintaining high standards for the West Indies women's cricketers.
"We have been trying for years to have a team tour the Caribbean to play against our girls and I am happy that it has now become a reality. We must thank Clive Lloyd and the West Indies Cricket Board for the part they played in making this tour possible," Whilby-Maxwell said.
