TWO-time defending Champions Barbados Royals beat Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets yesterday at the Providence Stadium in the final of their Massy Women’s CPL to finish unbeaten in the three-team tournament to claim a hat-trick of titles.

The win was the Royals’ ninth consecutive victory against the Warriors since the WCPL began in 2022.
Player-of-the-Match was Aaliyah Alleyne, who made an unbeaten 17 from nine balls with a six and four after taking 1-32 in the Warriors’ innings
Sri Lankan Chamari Athapaththu (25), Kycia Knight (31), Courtney Webb (31) and an unfinished 27-run eight-wicket partnership between Alleyne and Shreyanka Patil, 10 from six balls with two fours, got the Royals to 137-7 in 19.4 overs.

Off-spinner Ashmini Munisar (3-21) and leg-spinner Nyia Latchman (2-31) were the main wicket takers for the home team.
The Warriors had made 136-6 off their 20 overs as Amy Hunter (29), Skipper Shemaine Campbelle (28), Dane van Niekerk (27*) and Laura Harris (18) contributed with bat in a losing cause.
The Warriors were invited to bat before virtually empty stands in hot conditions.

Realeanna Grimmond hit Sheneta Grimmond for three boundaries while Hunter stroked Athapaththu for four.
Shamilia Connell broke the 34-run stand when she trapped Grimmond lbw for 18.
Grimmond, favouring the leg-side, hit three boundaries on the lightning-fast outfield and her demise made way for West Indies player Stafanie Taylor to join Hunter.
Taylor hit Afy Fletcher and Patil for boundaries to post the 50 in 55 balls.

Taylor (15) was forced to retire hurt with a hamstring with the score on 56-1.
The 19-year-old Hunter continued to play well while Harris got going with a six and four off Fletcher.
In conditions which had become increasingly overcast, Alleyne disturbed her stumps at 72-2. Harris’s 18 lasted eight balls and was decorated with two fours and a six.
The 38-year-old Grenadian leggie Fletcher soon bowled Hunter after the Ireland U-19 player was looking set on a carefully constructed 29 from 36 balls with the Warriors on 80-3.
Campbelle and van Niekerk brought up the 100 from 95 balls.

The pair carried their team to 136-3 with an unfinished 56- run stand. Campbelle hit two fours and a six in her 28, and van Niekerk reached the ropes twice in 27.
The Royals began their reply in cool conditions, and the big- hitting Qiana Joseph (4) fell to Molly Penfold with the Royals on 20-1.
Athapaththu, the tournament’s leading run scorer, was joined by Kycia Knight, and together they took their team to 42 before she was taken mid-off as off-spinner Karishma Ramharack struck a crucial blow.

Athapaththu’s 25 from 20 balls with five boundaries carried her 194 from five matches, 38 more than Hunter, who finished second in the runs tally.
Munisar removed Knight to break the 39-run stand and leave the Royals on 81-3 before Munisar held a stupendous catch at square-leg 90-4.
Chinelle Henry (6) pulled a full toss from Latchman.

The Berbician from Rose Hall Canje knocked the ball from the full blooded into the air before taking on the second attempt to trigger a stutter.
Djenaba Joseph (8) was smartly stumped by Hunter as Latchman struck at 108-5.
Munisar got rid of the dangerous Courtney Webb, who hit a four and a six in 31.

At the same score, Fletcher was stumped for a duck off Munisar, and the Royals had slipped from 81-2 to 110-7.
Alleyne hit Penfold for a six and a four to remain unbeaten on 17 from just nine balls. With her, undefeated on 10 with two sixes, was Patil in a thrilling last-over victory.