GCB Senior Women 50-overs inter-county cricket…

OVERNIGHT and early morning showers at the Malteenoes ground delayed the start of the final round of the GCB’s Senior Women 50-overs inter-county cricket tournament between defending champions Berbice and home team Demerara by 108 minutes and caused a reduction from 50 to 37 overs.

Demerara elected to bat on a still fast outfield and good pitch and were bowled out for a disappointing 76 in 29 overs before Berbice, despite losing three wickets, strolled to 77-3 in 14 overs to win their fifteenth consecutive 50-over title.

West Indies batter Mandy Mangru and Naiomi Barkoye provided the home team a solid start in overcast conditions with a strong Atlantic breeze blowing across the ground.

The tall right-handed Barkoye, was the aggressor on her home ground with fluent extra cover drives for boundaries while the correct Mangu, the leading scorer in the tournament, added 27 with Barkoye in eight overs.

Mangru, who made 81 against Essequibo in the first round, was looking set for another good score when she was lured down the track by experienced off-spinner Plaffiana Millington and neatly stumped by West Indies Keeper Shamaine Campbell for 12.

Tilleya Madramootoo (1) was lbw to medium pacer Tricia Hardat and 34-2 before West Indies fast bowling all-rounder Cherry-Ann Fraser, who made an unbeaten 68 against Essequibo, only managed a single yesterday before she edged one that spun away from the left-hander to Campbell behind the stumps as Millington struck at 36-3.

Hardat trapped Kaycia Shultz (1) lbw two runs later and when Barkoye, with four boundaries to her name in her 67-ball 24, was run out for the second time in the tournament as the QC student again had problems with her running between the wickets.

Only Niya Latchman with 16 of the other batters reached double figures much to disappointment of the large contingent of Demerara supporters which included the Essequibo team who are staying at the GCB’s LBI facility for T20 format which starts tomorrow at Malteenoes.

Player-of-the-Match Ashmini Munisar 3-6, Millington 2-7, Hardat 2-14 and Shenita Grimmond 2-14 did the damage for Berbice who began their reply with the sun back in all its glory.

Realanna Grimmond on-drove the lively Fraser for four in the first over before stroking off-spinner Litesha Jordon, who opened the bowling, for consecutive boundaries to rush into the teens. She deposited Jordon over mid-on in her next but the off-spinner had the last laugh when Grimmond top-edged a sweep to short square-leg after making 18 at 23-1.

Christal Durant (11) was bowled by leg-spinner Latchman and with victory 10 runs away, Skipper Campbell (8) was lbw to Shultz before Tiea Issac (1) joined West Indies batter Shabika Gajnabi who hit two fours in her unbeaten 24.

Mangru, who has now turned wicket-keeper, scored 93 runs while fours bowlers (Millington, Hardat Munisar and Jordon) five with five wickets from two matches.

Berbice and Essequibo face-off tomorrow in the T20 match at Malteenoes from 1:30 PM.