GAW Women march into final, handing Tridents’ back-to-back defeats

By Jemima Holmes in Barbados

A reduced eight-over contest to determine the second finalist in the Limacol Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) as inclement weather in Bridgetown forced a late start at the Kensington Oval.

When the skies finally cleared enough, it was the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) Women who won the toss and opted to bowl first, similarly to their last successful encounter with the Barbados Tridents.
In the end, it all paid off as the Amazon Warriors women completed a tidy chase to ensure they met the Trinbago Knight Riders in today’s final.
The Tridents got off to a slow start, part in parcel to Qiana Joseph’s three off 12 deliveries.
It appeared as though the innings would make a turnaround when Hayley Matthews launched Shenetta Grimmond over deep midwicket in her 1st ball, but the maximum turned out to be a rarity as the Tridents’ struggles continued and Joseph retired out.
Matthews’ eyes lit up as Grimmond returned for her second over, sending her first ball for a six over long on.
Grimmond almost had her woman two balls later as Matthews, knowing that she needed to continue the momentum, tried another big shot, but the top edge went as far as Connel at fine leg.
But the umpire would put out the dreaded hand, signalling a no-ball.
That overturned decision turned out to be one from the nightmares for the Amazon Warriors as Grimmond went on to concede another four and six for the most expensive one of the innings – 18 runs.
The other Grimmond, though, Realeanna, was the one to exact the revenge in the following over, sending in a quick return from deep extra cover, and Matthews, hoping to run two, was found short of her ground at the striker’s end.
Matthews finished with 22 off 14, making way for Maddy Green. Green was just what the doctor ordered for the Tridents, hitting three fours and one six in a brisk 30 off 16 balls to get the hosts up to 69-4 in their eight overs.
Shmailia Connell and Erin Burns ended with one scalp each.
The first over of the chase was a spotty one for the Amazon Warriors, exacerbated by the loss of Eboni Brathwaite early for just two runs.
However, Shemaine Campbelle picked up where she left off in the last match against the Tridents, upping the ante alongside Tazmin Brits to push the Amazon warriors along quickly.
A wicket that could have possibly turned the tides for the Tridents went a begging in the third over, as Afy Fletcher delivered her first. Fletcher, at the non-strikers’ end, bobbled a return that would have found Brits short of her ground, having only contributed 12 runs at the time.
But as fate would have it, the backbone of the Amazon Warriors’ women’s victory in their last match, stuck around again, this time to see them over the line and into the final.
Brits slammed an unbeaten 35 off 23 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes, while Campbelle pitched in with 22 from 12.
Tensions flared in the final over of the chase, with the visitors needing just a solitary run. Suzie Bates struck, castling Nadine de Klerk for three and raising the Tridents’ hopes for some sort of comeback. But as the Tridents pulled their field within the circle, with a lone fielder off the ropes at deep forward, Amazon Warriors Captain Chloe Tryon sent the ball over the head of that fielder for the game-winning maximum.
Belief buoying the GAW Women
Speaking exclusively with Guyana Times Sport following their triumph, Head Coach Shakera Selman spoke of how crucial she thought the toss was.
“Obviously, they [conditions] were tough, and I thought it was a very important toss to win. The ball was holding in the surface initially, but we were very focused. And we got lots of belief beating Barbados a few days ago,” Selman told this publication.
The Head Coach went on to discuss how they were able to pull off back-to-back wins over the Tridents, who they’ve never beaten previously, and the key performances from Campbelle and Brits.
Selman revealed, “Belief is a lot of it. Believing in ourselves, believing in the team that we have, and we thought from the onset that we put together a really good team, a very strong team. Honestly, the local players this season have been the difference. We haven’t been fully dependent on the international players, and then just being able to get international players to perform and then also local players has been what’s worked for us.”
She turned her attention to the duo, stating, “Yeah, two professionals. Two players who have lots of international experience, so they know exactly what’s required. Luckily for us, Shemaine came into this competition with a lot of confidence on the back of a really good World Cup, and I think she’s brought all that confidence, all that experience, into this team. Even though she isn’t captain, she’s standing out as a leader.”
“And then Tazmin, obviously her first franchise competition, so she wanted to prove a point. It’s really good to see her get scores in the last two games,” the head coach added.
Selman later touched on her role as one of the first female head coaches in the WCPL and what she brings to the job.
“I think what I’ve been able to show is that gender doesn’t matter,” she said candidly about the Head Coach position. “Cricket is Cricket at the end of the day, and I have a really strong understanding of cricket; that’s what helped me throughout my career as a player, and it’s helped me as a broadcaster as well. Now I’m able to transfer that knowledge in a more intimate way with the girls. Yeah, I just share my knowledge.”
“Funnily enough, not lots of cricket is played here during the local season or anything. So, I think, if anything, I would’ve brought my experience and my knowledge of women’s cricket and a lot of the local cricketers into this game. Of course, you know I’m a broadcaster sometimes, so I know a lot about the women’s game. It’s been really refreshing for me; the respect that I’ve gotten from the girls – they trust me, they trust my knowledge. “I’m just here to facilitate, and I think I’ve done that well,” she further stated.
The Limacol WCPL final between GAW Women and the Trinbago Knight Riders Women will bowl off at 14:00h at the same venue tomorrow.