Opener Djenaba Joseph put her international experience to good use as the talented allrounder led T&T to the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Women Under-19 title at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, St Augustine, on Saturday.
The Red Force youth women’s team defeated the Windward Islands by 37 runs.
Joseph top scored for the hosts with 43 that included two fours in her knock as T&T scored 106 all out in 28.5 overs in the 30-over competition.
T&T were pushed on the back foot when they lost Samara Ramnath for two in the fifth over. Aniaya Roberts joined Joseph and together they put on 26 for the second wicket before Roberts was next dismissed for 11.
There was a procession of batters walking in and out of the pavilion at regular intervals, as T&T lost wickets almost in the blink of an eye as Joseph, who has senior international experience with West Indies stood tall while wickets continued to fall around her.
No one else got to double figures as Kirah Manpaul (7) was the closest, as T&T folded, setting the Windward Islands a small target of 107 to win in 30 overs.
Amiah Gilbert’s four for 19 and Salena Ross’ two wickets for 12 runs were the best efforts for the Windwards.
On paper, 107 from 30 overs should not have been an imposing ask for the Windwards ladies. Windwards’ version of Djenaba James, her international teammate, Zaida James, also led front with a top score of 25. She lost her opening partner Namiah Marcellin for two, but got a valuable 10 runs from Jannelia Glasgow but departed at 49 for two to leave Glasgow alone at the wicket.
Wickets kept falling as Glasgow eventually fell for 12 and like the T&T innings, no one else got to double figures as Niesha Cherry was the next best with six.
Shalini Samaroo and Ramnath were the chief antagonists with three for 11 and two for 12, respectively, as the Windward Islands were bowled out for 69, losing nine wickets with Denella Creese retired hurt as T&T won by 37 runs to lay their hands on the trophy, doing one better after finishing second to USA, last year.
In the match for third place, Guyana got past Jamaica by five wickets at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Balmain, Couva.
Jamaica was sent in to bat and scored 120 for six. They got a top score of 26 from Breanna Gordon and Abigail Bryce scored 23 not out with the vocal and exciting Lena Scott getting 22.
The wickets were shared evenly between Cyanna Retemiah, Realeana Grimmond, Niyah Latchman, Jaime Campbell and Sarah Amin who all got one wicket each.
Guyana got a steady start from openers Tilleya Madramootoo (14) and Naomi Barkoye (24) as they put on 43 for the first wicket.
Jamaica then pushed back as Kimari Campbell led the fight back and removed Madramootoo and a brilliant throw from Judeen Ebanks at point, removed Ashmini Munisar (4).
Realeana Grimmond was good for 13 as Guyana were 72 for four at one stage.
Niyah Latchman made a top score of 32 as she guided the team close to the victory, only to be caught in the deep by Kate Wilmott.
Sarah Amin scored the winning runs for Guyana’s third-place finish.
At Gilbert Park, California, Barbados beat the Leeward Islands by nine wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method to finish fifth.
SCORES:
FINAL
AT SIR FRANK WORRELL MEMORIAL GROUND: T&T 106 (28.5 overs) (Djenaba Joseph 43, Amiah Gilbert 4-19) vs WINDWARD ISLANDS 69 (27 overs) (Zaida James 25, Shalini Samaroo 3-11). T&T won by 37 runs.
3RD PLACE PLAYOFF
AT NCC: JAMAICA 120/6 (25 overs) (Breanna Gordon 26, Abigail Bryce 23 not out, Lena Scott 2, Jaime Campbell 1-14, Cyanna Retemiah 1-16) vs GUYANA 122/5 (20.3 overs) (Niyah Latchman 32, Naomi Barkoye 24, Kimari Campbell 2-31). Guyana won by 4 wickets
5TH PLACE PLAYOFF
AT GILBERT PARK: LEEWARD ISLANDS 91/9 (30 overs) (JK Claxton 24, T Herbert-Mayers 3-10) vs BARBADOS 67/1 (13 overs) (N Cumberbatch 25 not out, K Anthony 1-15). Barbados won by 9 wickets (DLS Method)
