WEST Indies women’s head coach Shane Deitz will assess the physical conditions of his players ahead of the second T20I against England on May 23, and possibly make some tactical changes ahead of the clash, which bowls off at Hove from 1.30 pm (TT time). In the post-match interview on May 21, Deitz said he would focus on physical recovery and refining the team’s strategy as they aim to level the three-match series. Despite a dazzling century (100 not out) from maroon captain Hayley Matthews—her third in T20Is—England came away with a comfortable eight-wicket win, chasing down the West Indies’ meagre total of 146, with more than three overs to spare. Deitz confirmed his troops fell about 20–30 runs short of their target and underscored the importance of correcting their bowling execution early in the innings. “We’ve trained a lot so there might be a few players that may need rest,” he said. “We’ll assess how everyone is, take it by a case-by-case basis. There are a few players who need to have a heavy workout and some a bit lighter. But we did have a look at their conditions, (we’re) working out game plans so we’re prepared for Friday.” In addition to physical readiness, Deitz said losing the toss also played a part in the result. West Indies were put into bat and posted 146/7, which the hosts successfully surpassed by getting to 150/2 from 16.3 overs. The weather, he added, also posed a challenge to the Caribbean team, who are yet to acclimatise to the cold conditions. Additionally, Matthews was the only player to withstand the English bowling attack as Mandy Mangru (17) and Shabaka Gajnabi (11) were the only other batters to get within double-figures. “We wanted to bowl first. So we had to have a good total on the board and bowl well early on, which, we weren’t able to do. And then at the end, a bit of dew came in and it was pretty hard to defend. Batting second was always going to be the way forward. The main issue was we lost the toss. Hayley can’t do everything. “The cold weather is not something you get used to quickly coming from the Caribbean. It was really cold at some stages. It’s something that we got to put out of our minds to concentrate on what we’re doing and play some good cricket.” The coach was full of praise for Matthews, who once again proved her world-class calibre. “Hayley stamped her authority again. She’s an absolute superstar and carried the team,” he said. Deitz also highlighted the performances of left-arm orthodox spinner Zaida James with the new ball and Mangru for her supportive role with the bat. For Matthews, who struck an unbeaten 100, the focus is on consistency and nurturing the new talent stepping into the international arena. “We’ve got a very young group, especially in the XI. A lot of these girls are coming straight from domestic cricket and facing England is a big step up,” she said. “We just have to keep encouraging them and give them the space to grow.” Matthews recognises her role not only as captain but as a mentor to the emerging players. “A lot of them look up to me and I cherish the opportunity to lead from the front, just like Stafanie Taylor did when I was coming up. Hopefully, we can build confidence in the group and find some bright sparks across the series.” Looking ahead to the clash, on May 23, Deitz is hopeful his side can produce a more complete performance and keep the series alive heading into the third and final T20I on May 26.