BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Barbados completed the double by capturing the T20 Blaze, after easily disposing of Leeward Islands by eight wickets in a tense final round here yesterday.
Entering their contest at Warner Park level with Guyana on 12 points and needing a victory to secure the title, Barbados chased down 122 to complete their all-important fourth victory of the campaign, with 15 balls to spare.
At St Paul’s Sports Complex, Guyana magnificently defended a paltry 39 to come away with a nerve-jangling one-run victory over Trinidad and Tobago, and finish level on points with Barbados.
However, Barbados were adjudged winners, having won the head-to-head clash by three wickets in the second round last Sunday.
“We were expected to win,” said Barbados captain, Shakera Selman.
“Obviously last year we missed out narrowly in the T20s but we’re really happy to have taken both.”
In the other game played at Conaree, Windward Islands ended the tournament on a high with a six-wicket take down of deposed champions Jamaica.
Aware Guyana had already secured the points they needed, Barbados knew a slip up would be costly and produced a clinical performance.
Asked to bowl first, they restricted Leewards to 121 for five off their 20 overs with Divya Saxena top-scoring with 33 not out.
She struck a single four and faced 50 balls, and held the innings together with a string of partnerships, adding 24 for the second wicket with Melicia Clarke (13), 23 for the third with Amanda Edwards (15), 30 for the fourth with Jahzara Claxton (13) and 30 for the fifth with Rozel Liburd (20).
In reply, West Indies left-hander Kycia Knight took responsibility for the run chase with an unbeaten 63 off 51 deliveries with nine fours.
She put on 80 for the first wicket with all-rounder Aaliyah Alleyne who made 32 from 26 balls with five fours, before adding a further 37 in an unbroken third wicket stand with Trishan Holder (13 not out).
Guyana, meanwhile, were wrecked by captain and West Indies off-spinner Anisa Mohammed who claimed four for five, to buckle meekly inside 19 overs, left-arm spinner Steffie Soogrim (2-7) and off-spinner Shalini Samaroo (2-10) supporting with two wickets apiece.
But any hopes Trinidad and Tobago entertained of victory were also dashed as off-spinner Mandy Mangru picked up four for 11 to destroy the run chase.
Sent in, Jamaica mustered 102 for six off their 20 overs, Keneshia Ferron top-scoring with 32 off 41 deliveries and former West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor chipping in with 22.
Windwards then lost Jannillea Glasgow cheaply for 13 with 15 runs on the board in the second over before the West Indies pair of Zaida James (28) and Afy Fletcher (23) rescued the chase in a 60-run, second wicket partnership.
Windwards finished third on 12 points while Jamaica (8) and T&T (8) were fourth and fifth respectively, and Leewards last.
Barbados also won the preceding Super50 Cup, playing unbeaten to top the table.
