Quintyne sets up Grand Final between Barbados, Jamaica

ST. GEORGE’S Grenada – A solid all-round performance from Shaquana Quintyne marked the semi-finals of the Regional Women’s Twenty20 Tournament on Wednesday, propelling Barbados into the Grand Final against current holders Jamaica.

The 17-year-old Quintyne, a member of the West Indies Women’s team for the last two years, led the Barbadian batting with a resolute half-century and then undermined Trinidad & Tobago’s batting with her steady leg-spin in a 30-run victory.

Quintyne struck just a pair of boundaries in an unbeaten 50 from 53 balls, anchoring her side to 116 for five from their allocation of 20 overs in the first semi-final at the Grenada National Stadium.

She added 62 – unbroken – with Charlene Taitt to prop up the second half of the Barbados innings, after they stumbled to 54 for five in the 11th over.

Taitt made 27 and West Indies Women’s star Deandra Dottin hit 26, as Kirbyina Alexander finished with 3-19 from her four overs to be the pick of the T&T bowlers.

Quintyne followed up with 3-14 from four overs, Dottin grabbed 2-14 from her four overs and Barbados captain Shakera Selman snared 2-20 from four overs, as T&T were restricted to 86 for seven in their 20 overs.

Windies Women’s captain Merissa Aguilleira led the way for T&T with 22, but no other batter reached 20.

Across town, an unbroken stand of 49 for the sixth wicket between Tameka Sanford and Chanelle Henry formalised a five-wicket victory for Jamaica over Guyana.

Chasing 98 for victory, the Jamaicans wobbled to 50 for five in the 12th over before Sanford gathered 27 not out and Henry added 20 not out to take them over the finish line with two deliveries remaining in the second semi-final at the Tanteen Recreation Ground.

Earlier, the Windies Women’s pair of Tremayne Smartt with 35 and Shemaine Campbell with 22 provided the backbone, as Guyana were bowled out for 97 in 19.4 overs.

Elsewhere, Crystal John scored 34 not out and Windies Women’s opener Juliana Nero made 21 not out, sharing an unbroken stand of 54 for the third wicket to take St. Vincent & the Grenadines to an eight-wicket victory over Dominica in the consolation playoff at the Grenada National Stadium.

Hosts Grenada signed off the tournament with an eight-wicket victory over St. Lucia following a three-wicket grab by Aria Fortune and steady batting from their top order.

The Grand Final will be contested on Thursday at the Grenada National Stadium from 2 p.m.