By Avenash Ramzan
Barbados inflicted a comprehensive nine-wicket thrashing on the Windward Islands in the third place playoff of the WICB Regional Women’s T20 championship on Monday afternoon at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Windward Islands were stifled from the inception by excellent bowling from Shakera Selman, who dismissed both openers in a four-over spell that produced 2-14. Shamilia Connell was the perfect support at the other end, conceding just 11 runs from her quota of four overs.
Openers Stacy Ann Adonis (11) and Glendeen Turtin (09) fell cheaply, before Akiera Peters and Afy Fletcher stitched together a partnership. Peters topscored with 39 not out, while Fletcher scored 25 in the Windwards Islands 98-3 from 20 overs.
It was always going to be a difficult task defending such a small total, but the Windward Islands started to believe when Hayley Matthews was trapped leg before by Rackel Williams for six at 18-1.
However, opener Kycia Knight and number three batter Deandra Dottin quashed any hopes the opposition had of an upset, with a commanding partnership of 81 to seal the match.
Player-of-the-Match Knight was the aggressor from the onset, punishing anything marginally loose, as she raced to 46 not out off 36 balls, inclusive of seven fours and a six. Dottin was content on curbing her natural flambouyance and opted for rotation of the strike, but still ended on a healthy strike rate, as her 25 not out came off just 19 balls. She found the boundary on four occasions.
The competition will wrap up on Monday evening with the final between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, starting at 19:00h at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Cover photo caption: Kycia Knight (right) and Deandra Dottin lead the players off the field after Barbados’ commanding win over the Windward Islands (Photos by Avenash Ramzan)
