Jamaica Women to face Guyana in T20 Blaze final having drawn first blood

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

JAMAICA WOMEN go into today’s Women’s T20 Blaze final, following a commanding seven-wicket victory over the same opponents at Arnos Vale Playing Field on Friday.

The Jamaicans will have to do it all over again today but will be buoyed by a dominant performance two days ago.

The win was Jamaica’s third in the competition, this follows previous defeats to the Leeward Islands and Trinidad & Tobago.

Asked to take the first strike on Friday, Guyana struggled to build momentum after losing a couple of early wickets in the power play, thanks to some enterprising bowling from the seam duo of Chinelle Henry and Neisha Ann Waisome.

First, Henry trapped opener Realeanna Grimmond in front for just one in the first over of the innings, then Waisome had Mandy Mangru caught for just four to level the Guyanese side at 16 for two in the fifth over.

Shabika Gajnabi then came in and joined Captain Shemaine Campbelle, and the pair took the score to 33 before Gajnabi went for 16 to spinner Nicole Campbell.

All this time, Campbelle tried to stem the flow of wickets by batting 33 balls, but that didn’t stop the Jamaicans from picking away at the other end to leave the Guyanese in a spot of bother. Skipper Campbelle would fall in the final over for a well-played 32, which included four fours.

Off-spinner Vanessa Watts was the chief destroyer, claiming four wickets for 13 towards the end to help restrict Guyana to 83 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Campbell supported well with 2 for 12.

In reply, Jamaica chased down the target with relative ease, reaching 84 for 3 in just 16.1 overs. Captain Rashada Williams got the chase going with a brisk 19 off 22 balls before she was run out. Abigail Bryce then anchored the innings with an unbeaten 30 from 34 balls with four fours. She was well supported by Henry, who was left unbeaten on 12, to take the Jamaicans over the line.