Barrackpore East dethrone Rio Claro for SSCL Girls T20 crown

A comprehensive display with the bat and ball led Barrackpore East to the 2024 Secondary Schools' Cricket League Girls' T20 Open title after they dethroned defending champions Rio Claro West by 16 runs in the final on May 3.

At the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Barrackpore's "Dragon Slayers" lived up to their name as they tamed Rio Claro's "Western Wolves" to claim their third girls' T20 crown in the last four editions.

A quick-fire 40 runs from 22 balls courtesy Barrackpore East skipper Amrita Ramtahal, partnered with a 57-run, lower-order partnership from siblings Adiel (25) and Hope Rostant (24), carried Barrackpore to a challenging total of 159/5 after their allotted 20 overs, batting first.

In their turn at the crease, Rio Claro West found it hard to build partnerships and struggled early on at 13/3. Ramtahal (2/10) showed great leadership, even with the ball, as she was key in restricting Rio Claro West to 143/7 after 20 overs.

When Barrackpore East batted, openers Ramtahal and Chelsea Sookram (14) put on 60 for the first wicket before the latter was bowled by Arissa Samara.

Arissa Samaroo then had Ramtahal dismissed in similar fashion.

Hope Rostant entered, and despite Deenique Hercules (seven) and Abigail Boodoo (duck) failing to make real impact, Adiel Rostant joined her sibling to bolster the target. They built a 57-run partnership before closing on 159 all out.

Topping Rio Claro West’s bowling was Samaroo (3/25).

Set 160 for victory, Rio Claro West had a horror start as opener Keira Superville was bowled by Ramtahal off the second ball.

Fellow opener Mariah La Morell (two) fell soon after, followed by captain Chelsea Ramlackhan (ten); Barrackpore East stumbling at 13/3 inside three overs.

The middle order showed some fight as Samaroo (31) also shone with the bat. But it was not to be, as tight bowling from Barrackpore East restricted them.

Both Breanna Baptiste and Arabella Phillip scored 16 runs each.

Despite Ramtahal claiming two wickets, she was also involved in the run-out dismissals of two other batters.

For her hard work, Ramtahal copped the match MVP and most runs for the final. Rio West’s Samaroo snagged best bowler.

The victorious skipper was elated with returning the trophy to the southland, having won it in 2018 and 2019.

“It’s indeed a proud feeling for Barrackpore East to win the title after so many years. To come back here and win against a worthy Rio Claro West is a great feeling.

“I think they batted well because after the first few wickets fell, we were kinda on the fence, and the lower order held out really well,” said Ramtahal.

On her impressive knock and the brazen partnership from the Rostant sisters, she added, “I was planning to bat out the entire 20 overs. That (partnership) was very important because we weren’t too confident at that point. Their knock at the back end played an important role for us.”

Coaching the newly crowned champions was former Barrackpore East player and TT Red Force women’s player Shalini Samaroo, who was also part of the victorious 2018 and 2019 teams.

Her assistant coaches are Hadassah Rostant and Shanta Roopchan.