TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO WOMEN’S senior cricket team lost their opening match of the Cricket West Indies Women’s T20 Blaze at Providence, Guyana, on Tuesday.
TT fell to Jamaica by 78 runs in the third and last match played on the opening day. TT would have gone into the tournament with confidence after ending a tour of Barbados last month unbeaten, including three T20 victories and two 50-over wins.
Chinelle Henry helped Jamaica to the win with an all-round display. The tall Henry smashed the first half-century of the tournament – 52 off 38 balls with seven boundaries – as Jamaica made 133/6 in 20 overs.
Natasha McLean got the Jamaicans off to a flying start with 30 off 27 balls, which included five boundaries. Together with Rashada Williams, they posted an opening stand of 29 before Williams fell for ten. Skipper Stafanie Taylor added 14 which included two boundaries. Caniesha Isaac was the best bowler for TT with figures of 2/21 from four overs.
Neisha-Ann Waisome, a veteran right-handed medium pacer, bulldozed the TT batting line-up. Known as “Gabi,” Waisome, tore through the middle-order to finish with career-best figures of 5-8 from four overs. Only Kirbyina Alexander managed to reach double figures, she was the last TT wicket to fall for 15. TT were all out for 55 in 13.3 overs as Henry completed a solid match with figures of 2/20 in three overs.
In another match, Barbados opened their T20 title defence with a low-scoring win over home team Guyana in the second match of the day.
Hayley Matthews and Kyshona Knight posted a 38-run partnership for the second wicket as the Bajans were bowled out for 86 in 19.2 overs. Matthews top-scored with 35 and Knight made 15. Cherry-Ann Fraser was the pick of the Guyanese bowlers as she bagged 3/11 from 3.2 overs. The home side stumbled with the bat and were 79/9 off their 20 overs as Barbados earned a seven-run victory.
In reply, Guyana looked to be cruising to an upset of the defending champions. Skipper Shemaine Campbelle top-scored with 33 and Shabika Gajnabi (13) shared a partnership of 45 for the second wicket as the home side moved to 54/1. Barbados’s international bowlers did the hard work with seamers Aaliyah Alleyne (3/18 from four overs) and Shakera Selman (3/26 from four overs) being the leading wicket-takers.
In the day’s opening contest, the Windwards made a winning start against the Leewards.
Rosalie Dolabaille top-scored for the Leewards with 21, as they could only muster 56/7 from their 20 overs. Veteran seam bowler Pearl Etienne finished with impressive figures of 2/8 in four overs. The Leewards fought hard in the field and with the ball and pushed the Windwards batters. Windwards eventually reached the target at 57/6 off 17.1 overs to overcome the challenge. Kimone Homer top-scored with 11 while Japhina Joseph remained not out on ten at the end. Bowling for the Leewards, Jenisen Richards had the best figures of 3/7 in four overs.
The excitement will continue on Thursday with the second round of matches at the Guyana National Stadium.
THU
