Windies turn to the Army for help

The West Indies women’s cricket team was forced to call upon a Trooper in the Australian Army to substitute in the field during the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars’ comprehenive fourth and final one-day international victory in Bowral.

With regulars Shanel Daley, Tremayne Smartt and Shemaine Campbelle all missing out due to injury, and Staphanie Taylor carrying a leg complaint into the game, the touring West Indies found themselves short on numbers within the first 10 overs of the Australian innings.

Luckily, Rachael Martin, the current captain of the Australian Army Women’s cricket team, was at the ground and settling in for a long day of cricket watching when she was approached by former Southern Stars captain, and current assistant coach, Lisa Sthalekar.

“That was really cool,” Martin told cricket.com.au.

“Honestly, I showed up to the ground and then Lisa came over and said, ‘Hey, do you have any spikes?’ and I said ‘yeah’.

“Then I just literally came over, chucked a shirt on and some clothes.”

Martin would go on to field more than 20 overs for the West Indies and save a number of firmly hit drives in the process.

“It was the best experience,” she said after the match.

“It’s up there with one of the best things I’ve done really.

“I had a lot of fun out there and the girls were awesome.

“(The West Indies players) were amazing, they gave me a signed t-shirt and my clothes and stuff like that.

“They were all supportive out there and everything.”

Despite taking the entire experience wholly in her stride, Martin did admit to a few nerves before stepping out onto the international stage.

“Yeah, I was (nervous), especially towards the end there,” she said, in reference to the final five overs where Ellyse Perry and Jess Jonassen plundered the touring attack with 63 runs.

“I got falconed in the head by one of them, but that’s all right.”

The Army skipper will now head back down to Canberra for a pair of matches against the Australian Navy and Air Force and says she’s feeling good despite the interrupted preparation.

“The only problem I’ve had is that, working, I haven’t been able to play much this year,” Martin said.

“I only picked up a bat for the first time in the last week.

“But yeah, the form’s still there.”