TKR women eye CPL redemption after 6ixty setback

TRINBAGO KNIGHT Riders (TKR) women’s captain Deandra Dottin said the Trinidad and Tobago franchise will tinker with the batting order in the inaugural Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) T20 tournament.

TKR fell just short in the inaugural SKYEXCH 6ixty women’s tournament.

TKR lost to Barbados Royals by 15 runs in the final at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, on Sunday.

Chasing a modest 66 to win in ten overs, TKR were dismissed for 50 in nine overs.

The WCPL will bowl off on Wednesday at Warner Park with TKR playing Royals at 3 pm. On Thursday, Guyana Amazon Warriors will face TKR at 3 pm and in the last preliminary match on Saturday, Royals and Amazon Warriors will compete from 3 pm.

The top teams will advance to Sunday’s final which begins at 2.30 pm.

Dottin said her team enjoyed the 6ixty tournament and her teammates are optimistic ahead of the WCPL.

“To be honest I think it was a lovely tournament, good to experience it for the first time. We’ve had some fun, we bonded well and the team is actually in high spirits despite what the result was in (Sunday's) final. We are looking forward to doing some great things in this CPL against the other two teams.”

She motivated her players to believe in themselves.

“The confidence is still high. After the game (on Sunday) I had a word with my players and I told them that I am still proud of them, that they came a long way so the confidence is still high.”

Dottin said adjustments will be made to the team for the WCPL.

“There will be a couple changes to the batting line-up as it’s the full 20 overs and not the shorter version like the 6ixty.”

The TKR captain said scoring singles will be crucial in the WCPL. “I think it is very important for us to rotate the strike. I think with a little more balls and little more time it will be a lot better.”

Dottin was thankful that the crowd came out in their numbers to support the 6ixty.

“I think the crowd was great. To have that much people in the stadium and supporting us as women cricketers out there playing cricket. It was great and I actually think it is a start for franchise cricket in terms of the CPL and the 6ixty in the Caribbean as well.”

Royals captain Hayley Matthews and Amazon Warriors skipper Stafanie Taylor said the 6ixty was a success.

Matthews said, “I think this tournament has done a lot for women’s cricket in the Caribbean and I think it is going to continue to do a lot for women’s cricket in the Caribbean.”

Taylor said, “I thought the tournament was really good. We had a lot of fun even though we did not win. We saw some really good cricket especially yesterday. I thought the final went really well.”