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GCB Senior Women inter county tournament….
WATCHED by a vocal gathering which included the Hinterland team, and several former National players, Essequibo, led by a match winning 65-run stand between the Williams siblings beat defending champions Berbice by two wickets in the final of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Senior Women inter county 50-over tournament at the LBI ground yesterday.
On the back of Tiea Issacs’ 47 with six fours from 85 balls, Berbice reached 134 all out in 37.5 over as off-spinner Nickesha Narine captured 4- 33 from nine overs in a game which was reduced to 45 overs due to 90-minute rain delay.
Skipper Kumarie Persaud (2-22) and Tramaine Marks (2-23) led the way as only Shenita Grimmond and Plaffianna Millington, with 12 each, got into double figures although extras contributed 45 with 33 of those being wides.
Essequibo recovered from 55-5 to reach 135-8 from 38.1 overs due to a 65-run sixth-wicket partnership between sisters, 19-year-old Laurene and Latoya Williams who turns 19 next month.
Laurene, a National Senior 50-over player, faced 77 balls in well compiled 35 with just a single boundary while her younger sibling made an unbeaten 32 from 69 balls with a couple of fours.
Millington removed Persaud for a duck, Marks (16) and Yonette Welcome (8) before Crystal Durant bowled Shonette Belgrave (1) and Narine was run out for duck to leave Berbice in the 20th over.
The left-handed Latoya joined her sister and staged ‘operation rebuild’ with sensible stroke-play with right-handed Laurene looked arguably the most accomplished batter on show.
Laurene, when well set for a fifty, fell to Sherika Campbell in the 36th over and Essequibo were still 28 away from victory with four wickets in hand.
Narine (0) was run out and Anesteica Venezuela (2) both departed at 120 the ninth-wickets pair of Cyanna Retemiah (8) and Lotoya, aided by ragged fielding and erratic bowling, saw their team home.
The 27-year-old off spinner Millington had 3-19 from nine frugal overs.
Millington ended with 12 wickets, two behind the tournaments leading wicket-taker left-arm spinner Kacia Shultz.
The GCB Women’s Inter-County T20 tournament is scheduled to commence tomorrow at LBI with two matches being contested.
