Boyce 51, Edwards’ all-round effort set up tense 7-run win for Leewards over Guyana

Leewards 106 for 9 (Boyce 51, Edwards 31, Munisar 4-15) beat Guyana 99 all out (Mangru 24, Grimmond 23, Edwards 3-18) by 7 runs 

Leeward Islands earned their second win of the Cricket West Indies Women’s T20 Blaze when they defeated Guyana by 7 runs in the final Round 2 match-up at the Arnos Vale Playing Field on Thursday. 

A half-century from Reniece Boyce, along with important contributions from captain Amanda Edwards with both bat and ball, trumped Ashmini Munisar’s four-for to hand the Leewards the win. 

The evening’s encounter began with the dismissal of Qiana Joseph—adjudged out lbw to one that seemed to be heading down the leg-side from Plaffiana Millington for a second successive no-score. Followed by that of Shawnisha Hector (4), caught by Ashmini Munisar off her own bowling.

This brought Edwards to the crease, joining Boyce to share in a 49-run third-wicket partnership. Boyce (51) and Edwards (31) produced the only double-digit scores in the Leewards innings, which sputtered to a stop at 106 for 9 after losing 5 wickets for 11 runs in the final three overs. 

Munisar led the Guyanese attack with figures of 4 for 15 with help from the ever-reliable Millington, who claimed 3 for 11. 

Errors in the field from the Leewards and a 41-run second-wicket partnership between Sheneta Grimmond (23) and skipper Shemaine Campbelle (11) kept Guyana in the chase for half of the innings. The pair would, however, fall in quick succession as they lost three wickets for three runs and were restricted to 54 for four in the 12th over. 

While the required rate crept up to and hovered over six, a vital 33-run stand between top-scorer Mandy Mangru (24) and Munisar (9) gave the Guyanese renewed hope. Yet like the lone partnership of significance before them, they were dismissed in consecutive overs, with 14 to win from 9. 

It was down to Edwards to ensure there would be no lower-order heroics. She completed the task by claiming two wickets in a final over that also produced a run-out to end with figures of 3 for 18 as Guyana were dismissed for 99 in their allotment.