West Indies female all-rounder Shabika Gajnabi smashed a majestic 152 to spearhead her team Rose Hall Town Metro to a crushing 325-run victory over West Berbice in the opening round of the Berbice Cricket Board/Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club’s Nand Persaud Female 50-over cricket tournament.
Playing at the Area ‘H’ Ground in Rose Hall Town, Gajnabi, who failed to gain selection to the West Indies female World Cup squad, stroked 24 boundaries and blasted two massive sixes as she added 220 for the second wicket with Marian Samaroo, who scored 45, as their team amassed 425.
Captaining the RHT Metro team in the absence of Shemaine Campbelle, Gajnabi won the toss and elected to take first strike. Kimmone Thomas and Samaroo put on 30 for the first wicket before Thomas was bowled by T. Isaacs for six.
According to the tournament rules, every wide bowled results in two runs for the batting side and the delivery would not have to be re-bowled.
Kassie Munroe chipped in with 40 not out, while other useful scores came from national Under-19 player Oma Matadin (15), Aleema Arokium (16), Erva Giddings (15*) and Dian Prahalad (12). Extras were a healthy 120 runs as the inexperienced West Berbice bowlers struggled under the steaming sunshine.
Bowling for the visitors, T. Isaacs (2-62) and D. Frank (3-65) were the best bowlers.
Faced with a huge target, the West Berbice team could only muster 100 all out in 33 overs against an experienced RHT Metro bowling attack that included two bowlers who played for West Indies and several Guyana players.
National player Kantana Mentore top scored with an unbeaten 30, while Isaacs returned with the bat to score 15. Erva Giddings (2-15), Sherika Campbelle (2-17), Plaffina Millington (3-19) and Dian Prahalad (3- 30) were the wicket-takers for the RHT Metro team, who would now play New Amsterdam/Canje in the second round of the tournament.
