Defending champions Barbados continued to show their class in the Cricket West Indies T20 Blaze tournament, played at Providence, EBD. In the first match of the day, between Guyana and Trinidad, rain played spoilsport and forced the match to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Matthews showed her all-round class
In the second match of the day, an all-round effort from Hayley Matthews caused Barbados to cruise to a nine-wicket win against the Leeward Islands. Watched by less than 20 spectators in overcast conditions, Matthews bagged 3-9 to help Barbados bowl out the Leewards for 60, then she returned with the bat to score an unbeaten 23.
The players took the knee before the match
Earlier, Barbados won the toss and opted to bowl first, and the Leeward Islands’ batting struggled against the seam of Shamika Bruce and the spin of Hayley Matthews.
In the first over, Terez Parker was stumped by a sharp Kycia Knight for a duck. Two wickets then fell in Bruce’s second over as the right-arm seamer, who enjoyed the overcast conditions, sent back Shawnisha Hector (01) and Saneldo Willet (00).
Leewards lost three wickets for two runs, but Rosalie Dolabaille was steady in her approach. Scoring runs became difficult for the Leewards, while wickets came at regular intervals for Barbados. However, the right-handed Dolabaille made an unbeaten 14 from 44 balls, while Tiffany Thorpe, batting at number nine, made 10. Extras had yielded 18 when the Leewards innings concluded on 60 all out from 18.2 overs.
Shamika Bruce claimed three wickets
Matthews had figures of 3-9 from four overs, including one maiden. Bruce had 3-15 from her four overs, while Aaliyah Alleyne and Shakera Selman had one wicket each.
In reply, Matthews and Knight added 23 runs for the first wicket. The duo each lived a charmed life, being dropped on different occasions. Knight was eventually dismissed for 12, in an innings that included all boundaries, when she was caught at cover off the bowling of Thorpe.
Kyshona Knight then joined Matthews, and the duo added 38 runs to seal the deal in 6.4 overs, with Barbados ending on 61-1.
Matthews and Knight sealed the deal
The tournament will continue on Saturday, June 11, with three matches at Providence. Barbados will play Windward Islands from 10:00h, Guyana will play Jamaica from 14:00h, and Leewards will play Trinidad from 19:00h Eastern Caribbean time.
