Women’s T20 Blaze: Barbados, Jamaica remain unbeaten after easy wins

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

Barbados and Jamaica both pulled off convincing wins in Saturday’s third round of the Women’s T20 Blaze to set up a meeting of the tournament’s only unbeaten teams in today’s fourth round.

Title-holders Barbados thrashed Windward Islands by 10 wickets while Jamaica brushed aside hosts Guyana by seven wickets.

Barbados, captained by West Indies marquee all-rounder, Hayley Matthews, and Jamaica, led by West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor, will do battle in today’s opening game at the Guyana National Stadium, a clash that will prove key to the title.

On Saturday, Barbados made sure of taking their title quest into the penultimate round when they held Windwards to 87 for six off their 20 overs and then raced to their target in the 12th over.

Matthews struck an unbeaten 41 off 34 deliveries with four fours while Kycia Knight made 32 not out off 35 balls with two fours and a six.

New-ball seamers Shanika Bruce (3-13) and Aaliyah Alleyne (2-6) had earlier kept Windwards quiet despite West Indies star Afy Fletcher’s top score of 30.

Jamaica, meanwhile, also found themselves with a modest target to chase and did so comfortably, overhauling 91, with 13 deliveries to spare.

Opener Rashada Williams struck an unbeaten 41 off 52 balls in a 68-run, third-wicket partnership with fellow international Chedean Nation, who made 32 from 39 balls.

Shakibi Gajnabi (26) and Cherry-Ann Fraser (20) both got starts but failed to carry on as Guyana were earlier limited to 90 for six off their 20 overs.

In the other game, Trinidad and Tobago’s 108 for seven proved a mountain too high to climb for winless Leeward Islands as Anisa Mohammed’s side marched to an uncomplicated 36-run win.