Joseph arrives to help Leewards defeat Barbados in T20 Blaze top-of-the-table clash 

Leewards 118 for nine (Joseph 27, Martin 23, Cumberbatch 5-15) beat Barbados 87 for nine (Callender 17, Alleyne 15, Joseph 2-10) by 31 runs 

Monday’s top-of-the-table clash in Cricket West Indies’ Women’s T20 Blaze saw the Leeward Islands breezing to a 31-run win over Barbados at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The day’s proceedings did not begin as promising for the Leewards, however, as they lost the majority of their batting inside seven overs to be restricted to 47 for 6. Naijanni Cumberbatch was destructor in chief for Barbados. 

The off-spinner accounted for Leewards' leading scorers this campaign, dismissing Amanda Edwards (12), Shawnisha Hector (6), and Reniece Boyce for a duck—on her way to figures of 5 for 15. 

Despite the loss of wickets, the Leewards kept the scoreboard ticking. Opener Qiana Joseph finally got among the runs this season, hitting two sixes and three fours before falling for a 17-ball 27 top score.

Tonya Martin (23) then joined all-rounder Jahzara Claxton (22) at the crease, and the pair shared in a 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket before Claxton put on 16 more vital runs with Rozel Liburd (11*) to help the Leewards edge their way up to the highest total of the competition, 118 for 9.

Barbados also lost a cluster of wickets at the start of their chase, slipping to 26 for 3 inside 5 overs. Still, a 25-run fourth-wicket stand between Asabi Callender (17) and Aaliyah Alleyne was all the fightback they could manage. The fight ended when Joseph (2/10) returned to bowl the latter for 15. 

Barbados would eventually lose 5 wickets for 36 runs in the second half of the innings to be restricted to 87 for 9. There were also two wickets apiece for Shawnisha Hector (2/13) and Amanda Edwards (2/17).