Nineteen-year-old Jahzara Claxton was just minding her business, waiting on a flight back home to St Kitts when she received the phone call of her lifetime.
She had just finished competing in the annual Women’s T20 Blaze with the Leeward Islands when the call that would change her life and possibly the lives of many Kittitian and Nevisian female cricketers, came through.
“My heart dropped, because I kind of had a feeling, but I wasn’t sure,” Claxton recalled.
When the person on the other line confirmed she had indeed been selected for the West Indies senior women’s tour of England, she lost all composure.
“I was super excited. I ran up and down the airport and just couldn’t wait to tell my family and friends.”
That phone call made Claxton the first female cricketer from St Kitts to be selected to represent the West Indies at senior level – a feat that resonated far beyond her island home but especially, at her humble abode.
“My mom, she cried,” Claxton remembered.
“I told my coach, he was super happy and my friends were extremely happy for me as well. Being the first female from St Kitts to be selected is a proud moment for me. To be able to come out here and represent the region is an honour and I am looking forward to it.”
The national recognition has also been overwhelming for the young star. From Prime Ministerial congratulations to national media attention, Claxton carries the weight of new expectations with incredible composure and her trademark smile.
“It feels really great to be recognized by the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis,” she reflected.
“I really thank them for all the support and I will definitely continue to work hard to make them proud.”
Claxton’s path to cricket wasn’t traditional. Her background spans cricket, football and track and field, displaying a sporting diversity that has shaped her approach to the game.
“Being a part of different sports has helped a lot with my fitness and to be able to bat for long and bowl lots of overs consistently.”
This athletic foundation has served her well as she’s risen through the ranks, captaining Leeward Islands at domestic level and competing in multiple under-19 World Cups before her senior breakthrough.
Now, training alongside the players she has long admired like captain Hayley Matthews and the legendary Stafanie Taylor, Claxton admitted to experiencing the culture shock that comes with transitioning to elite level sport.
“The biggest difference is the level of consistency and professionalism in the senior setup,” she explained.
“They’re very big on consistency and professionalism, and we don’t really get that at the under-19 level. I’m still settling in, but I am looking forward to being on the field with them whenever I get the opportunity and learn from them every day. I want to go out there when given the opportunity and try to contribute to the team in any way possible.”
That opportunity arrived on 26 May, in the third Vitality T20I at the Essex County Cricket Ground, a hotbed for women’s T20 cricket in England.
Prior to the match, it was Taylor who presented the teenager with her maiden cap, a moment she won’t soon forget.
Even though West Indies lost the game by 17 runs, Claxton was efficient with the ball, taking 1-15 from her 4-over spell which included 15 dots.
She claimed the wicket of Alice Capsey who was caught superbly at deep extra cover by another newcomer to the team, Guyana’s Realeanna Grimmond.
Since her debut, she featured in three more international games on the England tour including her ODI debut on 29 May at Derbyshire and her home international debut vs South Africa on 16 June where she returned her best ODI batting, 43. In the following contest on 19 June, her home T20I debut, she took 3/39 in the home side’s 50 run defeat.
At 19, Claxton’s journey is just beginning, but her vision and goals extend well beyond this England tour.
“I would like to be playing cricket for West Indies constantly in the next five years with very consistent performance and I would also like to be playing in different franchises around the world.”
Even at this embryonic stage in her career, she still has time to share sage advice with younger cricketers back home in St Kitts and across the Caribbean.
“Continue working and don’t give up. Anything is possible and your time will come,” she affirmed.
As she stepped onto the field for her senior debut, she carried more than just her own ambitions but the hopes of a generation of young girls in St Kitts who can now see that the highest levels of cricket are also within their reach.
Jahzara’s selection has both opened a window to the bright future of West Indies Women’s cricket and opened the door for many more to follow in her footsteps.
This article was written by Nicholas Maitland, Content and Media Officer assigned to the West Indies Women’s Senior Team
