GC Insurance T20 Blaze... T&T stun Bajans as Jamaica take title on net run rate

GC Insurance T20 Blaze… T&T stun Bajans as Jamaica take title on net run rate

Jun 15, 2022 Sports

– Guyana win under lights to finish 4th

By Sean Devers
A 19-run upset win by Trinidad and Tobago (with no chance of winning the CG Insurance T20 Blaze title) against double defending Champions Barbados turned the tournament on its head yesterday and provided Jamaica with an opportunity to win the tournament on net run rate of 2.171.
Jamaica, who won the first two T20 Blaze tournaments in 2012 and 2013, needed to win their final game against the Leewards by a very wide margin since a close win would still give Barbados the title.
T&T opted to bat on a track that was starting to keep low and led by an unbeaten 22 from Rachael Vincent, 22 from Britney Cooper and 20 from Skipper Anisa Mohammed, reached 108-7.
Aaliyah Williams (3-12), Matthews (2-25) and Shakera Selman (2-30) bowled for Barbados whose four-match winning streak was broken when after they were restricted to 89-7 when their 20 overs expired.
After Kycia Knight (5) was removed by pacer Lee-Ann Kirbyat 12-1, Matthews and Kyshona Knight were looking well set before off-spinner Kamara Ragoobar got rid of the prized scalp of Matthews (18) and Alisa Scantlebury (2) in her first over.
The quick demise of the 24-year Matthews (the leading run scorer in the tournament) and Scantlebury triggered the panic button as the run rate dipped.
When West Indies off-spinner Mohammed dismissed Knight (23) and Aaliyah Alleyne (26) and Barbados never really recovered and sank to defeat.
The Bajans were still on top as the second game began but Natasha McLean blasted nine fours and three sixes in her 54-ball 84.
And along with Skipper Stafanie Taylor whose pugnacious 51 with five fours, powered Jamaica to 170-5, the highest total in the low scoring tournament. Saneldo Willett and Amanda Edwards had two wickets each.
The ladies from Reggie Country then restricted the Leewards to 46-3 to win by 124 runs, needing to limit the Islanders to less the than 120 runs to get a superior net run over the Bajans whose net run rate was 1.428.
Shawnisha Hector, unbeaten on 17 and 16 not out by Saneldo Willett, the daughter of Elquemedo Willett, the first Test player from the Leewards, shared the best partnership of the innings.
In the Evening game under lights, the host invited the Windwards to bat and limited them to 85-7 and only Skipper Afy Fletcher (26), Japhina Joseph (21) and Glendeen Turtin (12) reached double figures as Kaysia Schultz took 3-13 for Guyana who replied with 86-4 to win by six wickets with 21 balls to spare.
Mandy Mangru (3) was LBW to Pear Etienne at 4-1 before Sheneta Grimmond (11) fell to Carena Noel to leave Guyana on 19-2 in the sixth over.
Lashuna Toussaint struggled to get the ball away before hitting back-to-boundaries and along with her Captain Shemaine Campbelle offered fight.
Campbelle hit Jannillea Glasgow for consecutive boundaries in the eleventh over to bring up the Guyana 50.
Qiana Joseph struck at 54-3 when Toussaint (16) edged her to the Keeper to bring Shakibi Gajnabi to join her Captain.
But with the score on 64, with Guyana needing 24 from 42 balls, Gajnabi (2) charged Fletcher and missed an irresponsible drive and was bowled as Guyana lost their fourth wicket.
But Campbelle was still there and playing intelligently while Tremaine Smartt pulled Fletcher for four and drove Noel past mid-on for another boundary and along with Campbelle saw their home.
Campbelle ended on 29 from 30 balls with three fours while Smartt finished on 13 from 12 balls with two boundaries.
The 50 overs format is scheduled to start tomorrow with 10 consecutive matches being played at the Providence stadium.