The winds of change are blowing through West Indies women’s cricket, and at the heart of this new breeze is 20-year-old Realeanna Grimmond, a name that fans can expect to hear far more in the years to come.
On June 4th, 2025, at Grace Road, Leicester, the Guyanese batting all-rounder announced her arrival on the ODI stage with a blend of grit, flair, and athletic brilliance, even as her team fell short against a formidable England side in the 2nd ODI.
England, already buoyed by a clean sweep in the preceding T20I series and a thumping win in the ODI opener, looked every bit the world-class unit they are. After Nat Sciver-Brunt won the toss and chose to bat, West Indies found themselves in the field, up against a batting juggernaut hunting another mammoth total. For Realeanna Grimmond, it was a trial by fire. Yet, the youngster from Guyana didn’t just blend in; she stood out, radiating promise and poise at every opportunity.
Grimmond’s fielding was a highlight reel in itself. On the third ball of the 44th over, England’s captain Sciver-Brunt, seeking to up the tempo, hacked across the line—but found her innings ended spectacularly. Grimmond, patrolling the cow corner boundary, showed remarkable anticipation and poise, tracking the ball and then leaping high to her right to take a fine catch right on the rope while keeping her feet in play. It was the breakthrough the West Indies desperately needed, England at 308/3, and the home crowd silenced, if only for a moment.
One over later, Grimmond thrilled again. Emma Lamb, in full flow, batting at 55, looked to clear the covers but found the youngster in her way. Timing her jump to perfection, Grimmond plucked an overhead screamer, her second blinder of the afternoon. Moments like these signalled not only individual brilliance but the arrival of a player ready for the big stage.
If her fielding heroics caught the eye, her batting showed a maturity well beyond her years. Tasked with opening the innings as the West Indies set off in pursuit of a daunting 367, Grimmond anchored the chase with poise. Unfazed by the mounting scoreboard pressure, she played risk-free cricket early, rotating the strike and punishing bad balls.
Her 53 off 72 balls, laced with four boundaries and two towering sixes, was a lesson in composure. Against the likes of Lauren Bell, Kate Cross and Linsey Smith, Grimmond’s footwork and shot selection belied her inexperience. Eventually dismissed by Smith in the 23rd over, Grimmond walked back as the game’s top scorer for her side and, more importantly, with her head held high.
In fact, Grimmond’s composed half-century now stands as the second-highest score ever by a West Indies woman on ODI debut. Only Hayley Matthews’ 55 against Australia in 2014 ranks higher on this prestigious list, a remarkable achievement for the young Guyanese.
The scorecard may reflect a 143-run defeat, England’s all-round performance once again underlining their superiority, but West Indies’ fans were treated to a glimpse of the future. Grimmond’s all-round display, from astounding catches to a fighting half-century on debut, and the emergence of this young crop of Caribbean talent was a rare beacon in the gloom.
For the West Indies, the ODI series may be lost, but the emergence of the likes of Jannillea Glasgow, Jahzara Claxton, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Aaliyah Alleyne, and Realeanna Grimmond is a victory for the region’s cricket. Having made her T20I debut two weeks earlier at Canterbury, the young Guyanese has now made an indelible mark in both formats. With her athleticism in the field, ability to play the big shots, and composure under pressure, she is being whispered about as the next big thing in Caribbean women’s cricket.
As the West Indies look to rebuild and recapture past glories, Grimmond’s progress will be followed with keen interest. Leicester was only the beginning. For Realeanna Grimmond and for West Indies cricket, the journey is just getting started.
