Guyana survived a late scare from the Leeward Islands before securing a 23-run victory in the second round of the Cricket West Indies Colonial Medical Insurance T20 Blaze yesterday at the National Stadium, Providence.
After winning the toss and deciding to bat, the hosts posted a substandard 146-7 and then contained the Leewards to 123 all out from their full quota.
In front of a near empty stadium, Guyana’s batting spent their time at the crease at a pedestrian’s pace with only opener, Sheneta Grimmond (13) and Cherry Ann Fraser (15), batting at number eight managed to score better than a run-a-ball.
Shemaine Campbelle top scored with 31 from the same amount of deliveries while stroking four boundaries, two of which were consecutively hit off of off-spinner, Rozel Liburd through mid-wicket and third man respectively.
Prior to Campbelle stroking a full toss from Amanda Edwards into the hands of Tiffany Thorpe at mid-wicket, she shared a 39-run partnership with Tremayne Smartt (20) whose innings was highlighted by consecutive boundaries off of Melicia Clarke.
Melanie Henry (12) and Shabika Gajnabi (13) were the other batters to reach double figures while 26 extras and five dropped catches allowed Guyana a slight advantage on a slow pitch.
In the chase, left-arm seamer, Erva Giddings rocked the top order by removing Malissa Howard with the first delivery of the chase.
But the pressure was released temporarily as Shawnisha Hector thumped Smartt for three consecutive boundaries in the second over of the chase that leaked 18 runs.
Giddings continued to apply the pressure by removing Hector for 13 and Saneldo Willett (05) to finish with 3-11 in a player-of-the-match performance while off-spinners, Grimmond and Plaffina Millington condemned Leewards to 39-8 by the ninth over.
Millington ended with 3-15 after dismissing Jenisen Richards (05) and Edwards (01) in consecutive deliveries.
However, Liburd would not go “belly up” in the chase and fought back with a spirited 41 from 34 balls. Liburd shared a ninth wicket partnership of 38 with Terez Parker who supported with 26 from 18 balls including a 17-run over from Akaze Thompson.
It took a superhuman-like catch from Campbelle at short third man, who dived mid-air and extended her left hand out to snatch the ball that had already beaten her on the edge of the 30 yard circle off of Grimmond, (3-20) to dismiss Parker.
Davanna Claxton also supported Liburd as the two forged a 46-run stand for the last wicket. Claxton batted freely and struck two boundaries in her 20-ball 18.
