Trinbago Knight Riders recorded their first win of the 2023 Massy Women’s Premier League (WCPL) on Wednesday to keep their final hopes alive.
The Knight Riders beat Hayley Matthews’ previously unbeaten Barbados Royals by 13 runs in the fifth match of the competition at Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday. The result means that the winner of the final group match between the Knight Riders and the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday will play the Royals in Sunday’s final.
Batting first after winning the toss, the Knight Riders applied pressure early with a strong power play on their way to post 155 for three off their allotted 20 overs.
In their reply, the Royals were restricted to 142 for seven.
Gaby Lewis put up a good fight for the Royals with 62 after featuring in an opening stand of 68 with Matthews.
Knight Riders scored 33 runs inside two overs in the power play courtesy of quickfire starts from Marie Kelly (28) and Kycia Knight (30).
At 58 for one from six overs, the hosts continued to put on partnerships with low risk through the experience of captain Deandra Dottin (47) and Mignon du Preez (36 not out) keeping the innings ticking over until the end.
Amanda-Jade Wellington prevented a higher score with very economical figures. Although failing to secure a wicket her four overs only yielded 11 runs. Matthews picked up a pair of wickets, one at each end of the innings to finish with two for 23.
The Royals had chased a score higher than this total already in this year’s competition but it wasn’t to be on this occasion despite causing threat throughout.
Matthews came out firing, reaching her highest score of the WCPL this year with 45 before she was dismissed by 15-year-old Samara Ramnath on her T20 debut.
After a more supportive role initially, Irish international, Lewis took over and her 62 runs came off 51 balls. She secured her 50 in 43 balls, another substantial knock for the Royals after her 47 in match one.
With other overseas Erin Burns (4) and Laura Harris (2) failing to get out of single figures, the wickets continued to fall for the Royals and Lewis’ dismissal in the 18th over proved too much to overcome.
Summarised scores:
Trinbago Knight Riders 155/3 (Dottin 47, Du Preez 36; Matthews 2/23, Claxton 1/21).
Barbados Royals 142/7 (Lewis 62, Matthews 45; James 2/34, Ramnath 1/13).
