Boyce half-century, spinners lead Trinidad past Guyana

Colonial Medical Insurance Women’s Super50 Cup…

By Brandon Corlette

Under the watchful eyes of a vocal crowd at the National Stadium at Providence in Demerara, Trinidad defeated Guyana by 69 runs in the opening round of the Colonial Medical Insurance Women’s Super50 Cup.
Trinidad vice-captain Reniece Boyce stroked an unbeaten 65 to lead Trinidad to 221-7 in 50 overs, which was sufficient to register a victory over hosts Guyana. The Shemaine Campbelle-led team were bundled out for 152 in 46.4 overs, with Campbelle scoring a fighting 45 in a losing cause.
The Trinidad spinners were on point, sharing seven wickets between themselves. Anisa Mohammed and Felicia Walters had 3-32 and 3-22 respectively.
Emotions were at fever pitch when this game bowled off at the National Stadium at Providence; and for both teams, it was the perfect scenario for either revenge of last season’s defeat, or a continuation of domination. Shemaine Campbelle won the toss and elected to field first under glorious sunshine. The Guyanese fast bowlers Erva Giddings and Tremayne Smartt got the ball to swing at the inception. It took the left-arm seamer Giddings three balls to remove the first Trinidad wicket.
Felicia Walters was the first batter dismissed, when she was bowled all ends up by Giddings without a run being on the board. Windies player Britney Cooper came at number three, but her stay at the crease was brief. She was removed by the same impressive Giddings on the final ball of the opening over, being trapped in front leg-before.
Former Windies player Stacy Ann King partnered opening batter Rachel Vincent, and the duo led a mini-resurgence after the Giddings burst. The duo took the score to 53-3, adding 51 valuable runs for the third wicket partnership. The introduction of Guyana vice-captain Akaze Thompson and off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond saw Trinidad wickets tumbling at 61-4 and 70-5.
Rachel Vincent fell to Thompson for a 45-ball 17 after batting 69 minutes, while Stacy Ann King was out bowled by the lively Thompson for 28 from 40 balls, after batting for 56 minutes. Trinidad captain Merissa Aguilleira was out for seven batting at number five, trapped in front leg-before by Grimmond.
Trinidad vice-captain Reniece Boyce and Leann Kirby steered the visitors’ ship by adding 48 runs in a vital sixth-wicket stand. Kirby was removed by off-spinner Plaffianna Millington with the score on 118-6.
Known for her bowling, Anisa Mohammed stuck around at the crease with her vice-captain Boyce, and the pair added 39 runs from 58 balls in 34 minutes. Mohammed made a composed 20 from 35 balls before being dismissed by left-arm spinner Kaysia Schultz, with the score at 157-7.
But things turned in the right direction for Trinidad when Samantha Bissoon and Reniece Boyce made light work of the Guyana bowling. The dynamic duo added 64 runs in quick time, batting for 33 minutes and gathering momentum before heading into the field. In the process, the right-handed Boyce hit a well-organised half-century, ending her scintillating innings on an unbeaten 65 from 90 balls after batting for 117 minutes. Her top-knotch innings included eight boundaries and 51 dots, striking at 72.22.
Samantha Bissoon ended her unbeaten innings on 35 from 29 balls, hitting five innovative boundaries in her innings. The Trinidadians ended on 221-7 in 50 overs, with Guyana handing 28 extras to their opponents. Erva Giddings had 2-34 in her 10 overs, while right-arm medium bowler Akaze Thompson had 2-46 in 10 overs. Sheneta Grimmond, Plaffianna Millington and Kaysia Schultz had one wicket each.
In reply, Guyana got off to a positive start, but the home team lost Melanie Henry for five. However, Shemaine Campbelle and Sheneta Grimmond added 57 runs for the second wicket partnership. Grimmond was in full flow, but she threw her wicket away when she was out caught for a sparkling 25.
Campbelle steered the ship during her solid innings of 45, before she was run out. After Grimmond’s 25 and Campbelle’s 45, only Cherry Ann Fraser (20) and Erva Giddings (18) scored with the bat. Those performances were insufficient, and it saw Guyana tumble to 152 all out in 46.4 overs.
At 16:03h, it began to rain, but that could not prevent a Trinidad Divas victory. Bowling in Trinidad’s complete performance, Windies off-spinner Anisa Mohammed had 3-32 in 8.4 overs, while Felicia Walters had 3-22 in 10 overs.
Guyana will play their next match on Tuesday March 19 at the Everest Cricket Club against Jamaica, starting from 9:30h local time.