KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – A strong all-round performance from West Indies Women’s star Hayley Matthews allowed Barbados to crush Leeward Islands by eight wickets today and finish unbeaten in the preliminary competition of the Women’s Regional Super50 Tournament.
This result and the same for defending champions Trinidad & Tobago over hosts Windward Islands – inspired by Windies Women’s all-rounder Stacy-Ann King – set up a mouth-watering Grand Final featuring the two teams from regional sport’s fiercest rivalry on Sunday at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex.
At Sion Hill: The 19-year-old Matthews grabbed 6-16 from 7.2 overs with her flighty off-spin and the fragile Leewards batting collapsed for 65 in 27.2 overs, after they were put in to bat in the fifth round match.
Windies Women’s fast bowler Shamilia Connell took 2-12 from eight overs to help with the demolition, as Saneldo Willett, the daughter of former West Indies off-spinner Elquemedo Willett, whose sons Tonito and Akito also played regionally for the Leewards on the men’s side, was the only player to make it to double figures, leading the way with 13.
Matthews then struck six fours and one six in the top score of 43 from 31 balls to anchor the Barbadians to victory with 237 balls remaining before the scheduled lunch interval and finish the preliminary competition with 24 points.
Scorecard
At the Arnos Vale Sports Complex: King featured in an unbroken 98-run, third-wicket stand with opener Felicia Walters that pushed T&T past the Windwards.
King hit five fours in 58 from 109 balls and Walters was not out on 40, as T&T successfully chased 122 for victory with 85 balls remaining to claim a bonus point.
T&T were 25 for two in seventh over, after losing opener Reniece Boyce for nine and Windies Women’s batsman Britney Cooper for a six-ball duck – but King came to the crease and with the obdurate Walters guided her side over the finish line with little fuss.
Earlier, Lee-Ann Kirby was the pick of the T&T bowlers with 3-17 from 10 overs, as the Windwards were bowled out for 121 in 47.2 overs.
Spinners Karishma Ramharack and Kamara Ragoobar snapped up two wickets apiece to break the back of the Windwards’ batting which was led by veteran Juliana Nero’s 25 and 20 from Roylin Cooper.
Scorecard
At Park Hill: Jamaica captain Stafanie Taylor saved her best for last, hitting a fluent 89 to lead her side to their first victory of the tournament by 112 runs over Guyana.
The incumbent Windies Women’s captain gathered seven fours and one six from 117 balls innings, as the Jamaicans were dismissed for 188 – the highest total of the tournament – from their allocation of 50 overs.
The innings was built around a 106-run, seventh-wicket stand between Taylor and Tameka Sanford that rescued Jamaica from 66 for six in the 24th over.
Once Sanford was bowled by international Subrina Munroe for 31 in the 48th over, the rest of the batting, including Taylor, succumbed for 16 in the same number of balls.
Windies Women’s medium-fast bowler Chedean Nation then grabbed 3-20 from 8.3 overs and Chinelle Henry took 2-17 from seven overs, as the Guyanese were bowled out for 76 in 30.3 overs.
The run outs of openers June Ogle and Melanie Henry, as well as captain and Windies Women’s fast-medium bowler Tremayne Smartt did not help the Guyana chase – and the Jamaicans claimed a bonus point victory in a strong finish to the tournament.
Scorecard
FINAL STANDINGS
(After the fifth round of matches)
1 Barbados 24 points
2. Trinidad & Tobago 19
3. Windward Islands 15
4. Jamaica 7
5. Guyana 5
6. Leeward Islands 2
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