Guyana were condemned to a five wicket defeat at the hands of Trinidad and Tobago while Barbados and Jamaica registered victories over Leeward Islands and Windward Islands respectively in the opening round of the Cricket West Indies Colonial Medical Insurance Women’s T20 Blaze at the National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
In the second match of the day, Guyana won the toss and elected to bat first, posting a fighting 157-4 in their allotted overs. However, a horrendous bowling display by the hosts allowed Trinidad to reach 161-5 in 18.4 overs.
Once again, Guyana was fetched on the back of Shemaine Campbelle who smashed an unbeaten 54-ball 77. The West Indies batter smashed six fours and three sixes including a 24-run final over from Karishma Ramharack after being dropped on 39 on a marvelous attempted relay catch on the boundary between Britney Cooper and Shania Abdool, as well as on 42 at point.
Campbelle was supported by a brisk start from Sheneta Grimmond (21) and Treymane Smartt (21).
However, Guyana’s bowling did not support the effort of the batting as player of the match, Stacy Ann King laid the platform for Trinidad with a 48-ball 59 consisting of five fours and one six. The poorly set field leaked boundaries in almost every over as King and Leeann Kirby (31) shared in a 68-run opening stand that was broken when Kirby held out to Erva Giddings at mid-wicket on her 19th delivery.
The helpless bowling attack allowed Cooper to come in and express herself with the bat by stroking an unbeaten 52. Cooper’s innings was highlighted by one six over mid-wicket off of Kaysia Schultz and eight fours, five of which was taken off of Shabika Gajnabi in the 14th over.
Earlier, Barbados disposed of Leeward Islands by a 99-run margin after winning the toss and posting 206-6 while limiting Leewards to 107-5 in their allotted overs.
Once again, Hayley Matthews got off to an aggressive start, scoring 45 from just 22 balls, laced with eight fours and one six. Matthews had shared in a 46-run opening stand with Danielle Small (7) who was run out after Shawnisha Hector was smacked for 24 in the second over of the day.
Leewards fought back with two quick wickets but Deandra Dottin continued her extraordinary form with a 23-ball 63 consisting of 10 fours and three sixes, taking Jenisen Richards for 36 and 21 in her final two overs.
Dottin forged a fourth wicket partnership of 80 with Kyshona Knight who contributed just eight towards the 36-ball union.
In reply, only Shebani Bhaskar showed any ambitions of batting for long with an unbeaten 40 that was decorated with five fours through the leg side.
Melissa Howard (18) and Hector (15) showed some positivity with the bat but their efforts were foiled after being trapped leg before wicket to Matthews and being hit in the head and falling on the stumps off of Shamila Connell respectively.
Meanwhile, in the final encounter under lights, Jamaica marched to a 62-run victory over Windward Islands. Jamaica won the toss and batted first, posting 185-2 from their allotted overs. The defending champions were indebted to Natasha McLean, who was dropped on two and 17 and went on to make 56 containing five fours and two sixes. McLean shared in a 123-run opening stand with Jodian Morgan who blasted an unbeaten 72 that was laced with 10 fours and two sixes.
In reply, Windwards closed on 123-8, despite Juliana Nero’s 60 and Afy Fletcher’s 35 that resisted the Jamaican bowling with a 67-run second wicket partnership.
The contest continues tomorrow from 09:00hrs with Guyana battling Leewards, Trinidad taking on Windwards and Barbados facing Jamaica.
