Red Force Divas lose to Jamaica in T20 Blaze on Sunday

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force Divas fell short of Jamaica’s 115-run target by six runs to record their first loss of the West Indies Women’s T20 Blaze tournament when round two bowled off at Warner Park in St Kitts on Sunday night.

Batting first, Jamaica’s top-order got them off to a solid start against some impressive Red Force Divas bowling.

Keneshia Ferron and Rashada Williams shared in a 23-run opening partnership before Ferron fell for six. Williams and Chedean Nation added 27 runs for the second wicket when Williams fell for a run-a-ball 32.

But it was the 47-run third wicket stand between Nation and Natasha McLean that gave the Jamaicans any real fighting chance of victory. Nation was dismissed for 32 and McLean 24, after hitting a lofty six.

Red Force Divas skipper Anisa Mohammed led the team’s bowling figures with 4-0-19-3 followed by Lee-Ann Kirby with 4-0-18-2.

In their turn at the crease, Red Force Divas looked a bit shaky as Jamaica’s trio of Vanessa Watts, Celina Whyte and Neisha-Ann Waisome kept the scoring under control.

However, the middle order partnership between Britney Cooper and Mohammed gave the Red Force Divas a chance to pull off a dramatic victory.

The pair added 38 together before Mohammed was bowled by Waisome for 16 off 12 deliveries and Cooper departed soon after for 29 off 31. She was bowled by Whyte.

In a nervous turn of events, Williams, who was captaining the team in the absence of Stafanie Taylor, had to turn to Chedean Nation to get the remaining overs in while rotating the other bowlers.

Needing 14 runs from the final over, with Selene O’Neil (seven not out) and Steffie Soogrim (four), the latter was run out off Nation’s first delivery.

Number ten batter Samara Ramnath got off the mark the very next ball but O’Neil could only salvage seven runs from the remaining four balls.

In the end, TT were restricted to 109/9 from 20 overs. Waisome was the pick of the Bajan bowlers as he picked up 3/16. Jamaica are defending champions.

The result saw TT pick up their first loss of the competition, having won their opener against Barbados by five wickets on Saturday.

In other matches on Sunday, Barbados squeezed past Guyana with a three-wicket victory in the second match at the same venue.

Batting first, Guyana’s crept to 91/3 after their 20 overs, led by unbeaten batters Cherry-Ann Fraser (35 not out) and Katana Mentore (32 not out).

Set at 92 for victory, Barbados kept it late and achieved the target of 92/7, with just one ball to spare. Trishan Holder (19) top scored with Shakera Selman (17 not out) and Kycia Knight (16) also chipping in.

Additionally, at Basseterre, Windward Islands’ score of 127/4 proved too much for Leewards as they were restricted to 82/6, in reply.

Windwards were led by Jannillea Glasgow (37), Pearl Etienne (24) and Kimone Homer and Qiana Joseph, who both scored 21 not out each.

In their turn, Leewards only had positive contributions from Amanda Edwards (39 not out) and Saneldo Willett (15).

Doing the damage with the ball for Windwards was Zaida James, who snagged 2/21.

Round three bowls off on Tuesday, with all matches at Warner Park. TT bowl off against Windwards from 10am (TT time). Later on, Jamaica play Barbados (2:30pm) and Guyana meet Leewards (7pm).