Taylor’s all-round display helps Jamaica to nervy 3-wicket win (DLS) over T&T

Jamaica 79 for seven (Nation 24, Taylor 21, Harricharan 3-17) beat T&T 76 for eight (Joseph 27, Anisa 9, Taylor 3-9) by 3 wickets (DLS)

Veteran all-rounder Stafanie Taylor starred for Jamaica in their rain-affected contest against Trinidad and Tobago in Cricket West Indies’ Women’s T20 Blaze on Wednesday. 

Jamaica defeated T&T by 3 wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in what was the curtain-raiser of the last round of matches in the league phase at the Arnos Vale Playing Field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The contest was reduced to 17-overs-a-side following several rain interventions during Guyana’s innings. Djenaba Joseph was the lone Guyanese batter to make it into double figures, top-scoring with a 30-ball 27. 

Taylor led the Jamaican attack with 3 for 9 from three overs to help restrict Guyana to 76 for 8 from their allotment. There were two wickets apiece for Vanessa Watts (2/13) and Neisha-Ann Waisome (2/19).

In the hunt for the adjusted target of 78, Jamaica’s chase was anchored by a 20-run second-wicket stand between Chedean Nation and Abigail Bryce (12) and the 32-run partnership between Nation (24) and Taylor that followed. 

The latter brought Jamaica to within 19 runs of victory at 60 for 3 before Nation was dismissed for 24 at the end of the tenth. The game was turned on its head when Brianna Harricharan (3/17) and Karishma Ramharack triggered a collapse that saw Jamaica losing 4 for 15.

Ramharack’s spell of 2 for 13 included a double-wicket maiden, which left Jamaica 75 for 7. With 12 deliveries remaining, the odds were still in Jamaica’s favour. They didn’t have to do much to get the win, however, as they were granted the required four runs via extras from a Lee-Ann Kirby over to complete the win at 79 for 7 with 9 deliveries to spare.