BASSETERRE – Steady batting, anchored by the international trio of Shunelle Sawh, Britney Cooper, and Shalini Samaroo, propelled T&T to a six-wicket win against hosts Leeward Islands in the West Indies Women’s Twenty20 Blaze on Thursday.
Sawh, the West Indies Under-19 Women’s wicketkeeper-batsman, led the way with 26, senior international Cooper made 21 not out, and Samaroo, another Under-19 international, got 20, and T&T chased down 121 in the second match of the fourth round triple-header at Warner Park in St Kitts.
Cooper ushered T&T over the finish line with 14 balls remaining when she drove a delivery from off-spinner Amanda Edwards to long-off for a single to hand the Divas, as they are known, their second win in the tournament.
T&T were 48 for one at the close of the Power Play after their captain Reniece Boyce was caught at deep mid-wicket off pacer Kimberley Anthony in the fourth over.
They were 62 for three at the halfway stage after Sawh was caught in the covers off tweaker Jenison Richards in the seventh over, and Edwards bowled Djenaba Joseph for 14 in the 10th over.
Left-hander Samaroo came to the crease and dominated a stand of 31 with Cooper to keep T&T firmly on track before she was caught at mid-on off leg-spinner Lizel Liburd with 28 needed from 35 balls.
Former captain Anisa Mohammed, not out on 19, joined Cooper and T&T coasted the rest of the way for a morale-boosting win that takes them to eight points, and condemns the Leewards to their fourth loss in a row.
Earlier, pacer Kirbyina Alexander took two for 15 from three overs, and Mohammed bagged two for 21 from her allotted four overs, and T&T restricted Leewards to 120 for five from their 20 overs after the home team were put in to bat.
Divya Saxena led the way for the Leewards with 37, Jahzara Claxton got 36, and Edwards added 26 in the strongest batting performance in the tournament from the hosts.
In the first match of the day, a run-a-ball, even, unbeaten 50 from West Indies Women’s batsman Shemaine Campbelle anchored Guyana to an eight-wicket win against defending champions Jamaica.
Campbelle struck five fours from 49 balls and shared an unbroken third wicket stand of exactly 100 with international teammate Shakibi Ganjnabi, and the Guyanese successfully chased 110.
Gajnabi supported with 37 not out from 46 balls and formalised the result with 12 balls remaining when she pulled a delivery from off-spinner Vanessa Watts into mid-wicket for a single to give the Guyanese their third win of the tournament.
Former West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor led the way again with 48 off 49 balls that included five fours and one six, but Jamaica could only muster 109 for six from their allocation of 20 overs after they won the toss and chose to bat.
International pacer Cherry-Ann Fraser was the pick of the Guyana bowlers with three for 18 from three overs.
The final match of the day features leaders Windward Islands and Super50 champions Barbados, starting at 7 p.m. EC Time.
CMC
Scores:
LEEWARD ISLANDS 120 for five off 20 overs (Divya Saxena 37, Jahzara Claxton 36, Amanda Edwards 26; Kirbyina Alexander 2-15, Anisa Mohammed 2-21).
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 121 for four off 17.4 overs (Shunelle Sawh 26, Britney Cooper 21 not out, Shalini Samaroo 20).
Trinidad & Tobago won by six wickets.