JMcLean, Taylor inspire J/ca Women to T20 Blaze title
A 145-run partnership between Natasha McLean and Stafanie Taylor ensured Jamaica Women defeat Leeward Islands by 124-runs, just enough to secure a superior net run rate than Barbados to lift the Cricket West Indies T20 Blaze title.
Yesterday at the National Stadium, Providence, Jamaica posted 170 for five in their 20 overs and returned to limit Leewards to 46 for three by the time the overs expired.
It was McLean who took the game from Leewards with three sixes and nine boundaries during her 54-ball 83. The right hander shared in the highest partnership of the tournament with her captain, Taylor, after losing Rashada Williams for six.
Taylor motored to 56 from 51 balls and hit five boundaries along the way before being dismissed by Saneldo Williet who also dismissed McLean to end with 2-31.
Amanda Edwards then removed Chinelle Henry and Chedean Nation for five each and returned 2-11 from her two overs.
In the chase, Henry dismissed Melicia Clarke for a 20-ball one while Neisha-Ann Waisome accounted for Rosalie Dolabaille for a 23-ball four.
Shawnisha Hector top scored with 17 not out from 31 balls while Williet supported with an unbeaten 16 from 40 balls as they never really got going in the chase.
As a result, Jamaica surged to the top of the table with 16 points and a net run rate of 2.171. Barbados did not help their cause after their only loss of the tournament came in the final round.
There, Trinidad and Tobago defeated the former champions by 19 runs. Trinidad posted 108 for seven from their full quota while a batting collapse saw Barbados reaching 89 for seven by the time the overs expired.
Britney Copper and Anisa Mohammed laid the foundation with 22 and 20 respectively while Reniece Boyce came lower in the order to make 14 from 15 balls. Rachel Vincent then saw Trinidad over the three-figure mark with 22 not out.
Hayley Matthews and Shakera Selman picked up two wickets each for Barbados.
Kyshona Knight made 23 from 30 balls while Matthews then returned in the chase to make 18 form 19 balls to keep Barbados in the hint as Aaliyah Alleyne looked set to get them over the line with 26 but Mohammed showed her experience to peg the former champions’ chances of retaining their title with 3-11. She was supported by Kamara Ragoobar with 2-16.
Overall, only three batters scored over 100 runs with Matthews topping the chart with 191 runs. McLean (130) and Taylor (116) were the other two.
