Dottin blasts into prominence in women’s cricket

There’s an element of aggression in West Indies batswoman Deandra Dottin that sets her apart from all other players in modern day women’s cricket.

She loves to play her shots and has the natural ability to change the course of any game within overs.

She was the backbone of the West Indies campaign in the recently-concluded World Cup in India where the team finished runners-up.

West Indies were 38 for 3 when Dottin came in against India in the opening match of the tournament. Her first ball was hit like a rocket for four.

She took just 15 deliveries to blaze 39 before she fell. Despite having 284 to defend, India skipper Mithali Raj admitted she had been rattled and was glad Dottin didn’t last too long.

West Indies were 82 for 4 when she walked in against New Zealand and Kiwi skipper Suzie Bates’ response was to take off her spinner immediately.

West Indies were 59 for 5 when Dottin came in against Australia. Jodie Fields, who almost compulsively sets aggressive fields, had mid-on and mid-off up. Off her first five deliveries, Dottin lashed three fours over the fielders.

Fields cracked. Dottin went on to make a tournament-altering 60 off 67 that pushed West Indies’ total just beyond Australia’s reach, launched them into their maiden World Cup final.

The most powerful batsman in women’s cricket almost speaks as she bats. “How dare the teams put fielders close to the bat,” she says with an almost eerie calm.

“No way they should be trying that with me,” she told a website.

However, she feels offence is not always her only defence. “I really do care about my game,” she says, insisting it is not all about hitting.

“It all depends on the situation of the game. I can actually play both, attacking and defensive. Sometimes I do tend to be overconfident and too aggressive.

And sometimes it has let me down,” she told the website.

Overconfidence can come about if you hold the record for the fastest hundred and fastest fifty in T20 internationals (the former across the men’s and women’s games).

Dottin says the century record, in fact, ended up putting pressure on her to live up to an image she had helped create.

She had drawn inspiration from none other than the great Viv Richards.

“I would sit and study the way he moved and the way he hit the ball,” she said once.

“For me it was more than just the runs he scored. What I liked to see was the way he walked out on the pitch, how he looked out there in the middle, and the way he represented West Indies.

He always looked in control of things. I have never seen anyone do it quite like him. “I don’t try to copy everything, because I know I can’t bat like he did, but I looked at the way he showed his presence and tried to follow that. He had power and control.”

But off the field she is just like a normal woman. “I am aggressive only in cricket. I am just quiet. I like to be alone at times,” she speaks in a different tone actually.