Magnificent Matthews leads Barbados to 8-wicket win over Jamaica

– Trinidad and Tobago register 51-run win

The ever consistent Hayley Matthews led from the front with a superb 108 in the Barbados team’s victory over Jamaica at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground at Bourda.

Led by Stafanie Taylor, the Jamaicans won the toss and opted to bat first, scoring 214-7 in their quota of 50 overs. Captain Stafanie Taylor led the charge with an impressive 80 from 117 balls, while her deputy, Chedean Nation, batting at number four, scored 31.
The Jamaicans’ score was boosted by the 50 extras bowled by the Bajans at the historic GCC Bourda Ground. Bowling for Barbados, Shamilia Connell had 2-34 in nine overs, Shanika Bruce had 2-32, and the ever-consistent Hayley Matthews grabbed 2-36 in her 10 overs.

In reply, the Barbados strong batting outfit had already reached the half-century mark in the eighth over. Kycia Knight and Hayley Matthews put on a show for the Bajans, adding 80 runs for the second wicket partnership. Continuing to showcase her class, Matthews followed up her 91 in the last round with a breathtaking 108 from 101 balls, which came in 120 minutes and included 14 fours and two sixes.

The job was all over when Matthews departed, out bowled by Nation. Knight and Deandra Dottin put the icing on the cake, and Barbados ended on 219-2 in 35.3 overs — an innings that lasted 2 hours and 16 minutes.
The defending champions have thus maintained their supremacy with three straight wins, and will meet hosts Guyana on Saturday at the National Stadium.
In the other fixture, played at the Everest Cricket Club, Trinidad and Tobago won their third consecutive match, defeating Windward Islands by 51 runs. Batting first, Trinidad and Tobago racked up 257-5 in their 50 overs, with half-centuries coming from Rachel Vincent and Stacy Ann King.
The Trinidadians lost opener Felicia Walters for one, but Vincent and King added 72 runs in a fruitful second-wicket partnership. The right-handed Rachel Vincent was dismissed by lone warrior Afy Fletcher when she was trapped in front, but the experienced campaigner Stacy Ann King settled in nicely and ended with a well fought innings of 79 from 129 balls, after batting for 173 minutes. Reniece Boyce hit some lusty blows in her unbeaten 43 to lead the Trinis to 257-5.
In reply, a complete bowling effort restricted the Windward Islands to 206-6 when their 50 overs expired. S Adams and Afy Fletcher hit 59 and 57 respectively. Leana Ramdeen and Karishma Rambarack had two wickets each for Trinidad.
(Brandon Corlette)