England women’s captain Heather Knight has said that her team are safe and being well looked after in Jamaica as the island prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Matthew. The England women’s squad arrived in Montego Bay in the northern part of Jamaica on Friday evening, ahead of the first of a five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against the West Indies, which is due to get underway at Trelawny Stadium on Saturday.
“At the moment there is a bit of uncertainty about how hard Hurricane Matthew is going to hit the island, but having seen all the weather reports over the last couple of days, we are aware that this is a serious event,” said Knight.
“It isn’t something that anyone would have anticipated happening while we were out here, but the main thing to stress now is that we are being very well looked after, and that we are safe. The hotel staff have been brilliant, with several measures already in place to make sure that we are all ok. So thank you to everyone on the ground here.
“Training at the ground has been cancelled today as defensive measures are installed across the island, but we have been able to make the most of the situation and get a good gym session in, along with some fielding practice on the beach.
“At the moment, we don’t know how much of an impact Hurricane Matthew will have on arrangements for the series – it is too soon to look that far ahead.
Catches win matches! #EngWomen making the most of the facilities in Jamaica 🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/URaqxViP7y
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 2, 2016
“I know that our management team is in close contact with the Jamaican and West Indies Cricket Board, and that the situation is being carefully monitored, so we will just need to wait and see what happens over the next few days.
“Ultimately, the main priority is everyone’s safety – it is a worrying time for the Jamaican population, and we all hope that the local community stays safe over the next couple of days."