CWI Women’s T20 Blaze

DEFENDING champions Barbados practically has a full grip on this year’s title in the CWI Women’s T20 Blaze, and only an improbable heavy defeat to Trinidad and Tobago today and a big victory for Jamaica over the Leeward Islands can see them potentially relinquish that grip based on net run rate.

After four matches, the Barbadians are still to taste defeat as they defeated Jamaica by 25 runs on Monday at the National Stadium, Providence.

Led by another spectacular solo effort from Hayley Matthews with an unbeaten 74 (9x4s) from 63 balls, Barbados reached 129-4 from the full allotment of overs.

Kaycia Knight, who made 14 (2x4s) from the 19 balls in the opening stand of 50 in 7.4 overs with Matthews, was the next best scorer while Kyshona Knight added 10, as extras accounted for 19.

Corrine Howell was the pick of the bowlers with 2-27 while the other two wickets were shared by Vanessa Watts (1-10) and Stafanie Taylor (1-17).

Jamaica then stumbled to 104-6 despite composed knocks by Chedean Nation (26), Chinelle Henry (24), Taylor (18), and Jerona Walcott who was unbeaten on 14.

Aaliyah Alleyne took 2-20 in her four-over spell while Shakera Selman (1-18), Shanika Bruce (1-20), and Aaliyah Williams (1-30) also supported the comfortable victory.

One-run thriller
Trinidad and Tobago got their second win of the tournament when they edged the Windward Islands by one run in what was a thrilling end to a low-scoring encounter at Providence.

Set just 89 for victory, Windward reached 87-7 when their overs expired as they failed to score the required seven runs off of the final over bowled by Anisa Mohammed, who ended with 2-16 from her four overs.

The islanders looked on course for victory as Zadia James with an unbeaten 28 (3x4s) from 35 balls was anchoring what looked to be a second win of the season until quick wickets stalled the process.

Qiana Joseph (13) and opener Stacy-Ann Adams (12) were the next best scorers as the Trinidadian bowlers stifled the opposition.

Spinner Karishma Ramharack had 1-12 in her four overs, well supported by Kirbyina Alexander (1-7), Kamara Ragoobar (1-16) and Leandra Ramdeen (1-17).

With the bat, Trinidad and Tobago were led by Britney Cooper with an unbeaten 47 (4x4s) from 41 balls which really was the backbone of the small total as the only other batter that got to double figures was Mohammed with 19.

Joseph took 3-10 while Pearl Etienne had 2-17.

Today’s final round matches pit Jamaica and Leeward Islands from 10:00hrs followed by Barbados and Trinidad from14:30hrs, then the winless Guyana and Windward from 19:00h