Defending champs 4R Lioness, Highway Challengers to clash in women’s final

By Frederick Halley
INAUGURAL winners 4R Lioness will be aiming to make it two in a row when they clash with newcomers Highway Challengers in the final of the women’s category of the seventh edition of the Prime Minister’s T20 softball tournament which climaxes at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, Queenstown on Sunday.
The defending champions turned back the challenge of upstarts Invaders in one of the two semi-finals, played at DCC while Highway Challengers got the better of their highway counterparts, Kuru Kuru Panthers in a cliffhanger finish at the Lusignan Sports Club ground.

Playing like true defending champions, 4 R Lioness cruise to an emphatic nine-wicket victory over the Essequibians, who promised much after their opening victory over Arrowhead Strikers but failed to live up to expectations with a meek performance in the semifinal.

Asked to take first strike, Invaders never recovered after a horrible start and were sent packing for a paltry 80 in 11 overs with only Kumarie Persaud (22) and Kareema Smith (21) offering token resistance. Shemeeza Abrams (two for four), Abigal Scott (two for four) and Haseena Mohamed (two for 22) shared the spoils.
Despite losing the wicket of the experienced Joann Vansertima with just four runs on the board, 4R Lioness rushed to 81 without further loss in 8.2 overs with Abrams (44 not out) and Scott (22 not out) ensuring no further alarms.

It was a different story at the Lusignan ground where the semi-final went down to the wire with Highway Challengers reaching the required target of 126 with two balls to spare after needing six to win off the last over in the 15-over affair.

Keisha Higgins (36) and Avina Adrrian ((29) led the way for the winners while Saskia Solomon took two for 15 for the losers.
Touted as the game of the first round, Police looked set to challenge 4R Lioness after limiting their opponents to 151 for seven in their 15 overs but a middle and lower-order meltdown saw them being dismissed for 112 in 13.1 overs. Alita Adonis (36) and Sherika Campbell (25) offered resistance while Abrams grabbed three for 18, Scott two for 19 and Mohamed two for nine.
Vansertima spanked nine fours and two sixes in a top score of 54 while the consistent Abrams was undefeated on 38 (seven fours) for the winners.
In the other first round, played at DCC, Invaders won from Arrowhead Strikers by six runs in another exciting affair with Kumarie Persaud stroking a fine 81 (six fours, five sixes) for the winners who reached 155 for five in reply to their opponents 148 for four in 15 overs.

At Lusignan, Highway Challengers got the better of Crabwood Creek Rising Stars while Kuru Kuru Panthers won from Number 64 Knight Riders to complete a miserable day for the two Berbician teams.

Crabwood Creek Rising Stars batted first and made 121 for seven with Vanita Ramcharran hitting a spending 58 (four fours and four sixes) while Highway Challengers got to the target in 13.2 overs in the process.

In the other first round fixture, played at the same venue, an enterprising 99 from Jenefa Kewley was in vain as her team Number 64 Knight Riders lost to Kuru Kuru Panthers, who won by four wickets after requiring 146 for victory. The burly Kewley blasted nine fours and four sixes.

The men’s categories (Open All Stars, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50) of tournament bowl off this morning at 9.30 hrs with matches at various venues around Georgetown. Prime Minister Mark Phillips will set things in train with a bowl off at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary from 9.00 hrs.