Western Rose claim JCA Women’s T20 title

THE WESTERN Rose are the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Women’s T20 cricket champions following a 19-run win over hosts Melbourne Cricket Club.

The Rose first put up 150 all out in their allotted 20 overs, with Jamaica and West Indies batter Rashada Williams leading the charge at the top of the innings with 69 from 43 balls, including nine fours and one six.

Williams’s knock could not be more timely, with the captain helping to rescue her team, who were in trouble early at 20 for three in the third over.

The right-hander added 49 valuable runs with Corrine Howell, who made 26 runs, before she was stumped by Natasha McLean off Priscilla Wilson.

National off-spinner Vanessa Watts was the chief wicket-taker for Melbourne, bagging three wickets for 41 runs, while there were two wickets each for Michalla Borland and Wilson.

STUTTERING START

In their turn at the crease, Melbourne also had a stuttering start, losing two early wickets with just 12 runs on the board and only 3.3 overs bowled.

Jaunel Deers and Jessica Wedderburn ensured that Melbourne did not recover from that poor start, bagging two wickets each to further dent the home side’s response, which was teetering at 49 for five in the 11th over.

McLean with 21, Watts, with 35, and Carla Cohen, with an unbeaten 37, tried to keep the run chase intact but, in the end, the overs ran out and the Rose got home comfortably.

– Lennox Aldred