The Realanna Grimmond-led Guyana team created history on Saturday, winning the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Female Under-19 T20 title for the first time.
In a rain-affected match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, Guyana defeated the Leeward Islands by 23 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern (DLS) method.
When the rain came, the Guyanese were 63-5 from 11.3 overs chasing 69 for an outright win. However, the game never resumed and based on the DLS calculations, Grimmond’s team was 23 runs ahead.
Opener Naomi Barkoye led the run-chase with a run-a-ball 24 (4x4s), while Shonette Belgrave scored 21 off 15 (3x4s, 1×6).
Bowling for Leeward Islands, Amara Richards took 2-12 and Sainvani Kambalapalli 2-27.
Earlier, the Guyanese bowlers were outstanding, producing miserly spells to stifle the Leeward Islands’ batters.
Trisha Hardat was the most impressive, claiming 4-10 from four overs, one of which was a maiden.
Danellie Manns picked up 2-14 from four overs, while Nyia Latchman produced splendid figures of 4-1-5-1 and Tramaine Marks grabbed 1-15 off four overs, including bowling a maiden.
Skipper Jahzara Claxton topscored for Leeward Islands with 25 off 28 (2x4s, 1×6).
Guyana had topped the five-round preliminary phase, winning four of their five games, while Leeward Islands ended second with three victories from five matches. The top teams qualified for the final.
Moments after the victory, the Guyana Cricket Board issued a congratulatory message on its Facebook page.
The message read:
“Congratulations to our incredible Women’s U-19 squad for winning the CWI Women’s U-19 Rising Stars T20 Championship! This is a monumental achievement as it marks the first time in history that our team has claimed this prestigious title.
Your dedication, hard work, and unwavering spirit have paid off, and you have made us all immensely proud. This victory is not just a win on the field, but a testament to the potential and talent of women’s cricket in Guyana.
A special thank you to the coaches, support staff and everyone who played a part in this remarkable journey. You have set a new standard and inspired a generation of young female cricketers.
Here’s to many more victories and continued success in the future!”
