Home Sports Undefeated Barbados, Trinidad set to play for title at Enmore – Captain...
Colonial Medical Insurance Women’s Super50 Cup…
By Brandon Corlette
The defending champions Barbados will play Trinidad and Tobago in the clash of the tournament, slated to bowl off at Enmore on Monday, March 25. Both teams are undefeated, and the winner of this contest will take the Super50 title.
After the fourth round, Barbados lead the points table, winning all four of their matches and attaining 20 points, including four bonus points.
The Trinidadians, meanwhile, are equally up to the task, winning each of their four matches and attaining 19 points, inclusive of three bonus points.
Speaking to the media after their respective wins in the fourth round, Barbados captain Hayley Matthews and Trinidad and Tobago captain Merissa Aguilleira expressed how confident they are going into this all-important clash. Barbados defeated Guyana at the National Stadium at Providence, and Matthews has said that victory is a big confidence booster heading into the final game against Trinidad.
“We get the bonus points from each of our games, and it will help us to take the momentum into the other contest”, she explained.
The Barbados batting order was tested against Guyana after they lost three wickets for 28 runs. Reflecting on that, Mathews stated it was a blessing in disguise for the batting order to have the opportunity to be tested ahead of the final match.
“We have been playing good cricket all tournament, and once we continue in that positive direction, we will have the upper hand against Trinidad”, she declared.
The Barbadians have been flawless in the batting department, with Hayley Matthews leading from the front with bat, scoring 233 runs in the four matches she played thus far. Matthews has scores of 23, 91, 108 and 11 opening the batting.
Deandra Dottin has not been dismissed in any of the four innings she batted. She has an aggregate of 226 runs. The destructive Dottin has scores of 94*, 23*, 34*, and 75* in the four innings she batted, and has twice been named “player of the match”.
To add icing on the cake, the Barbados wicket-keeper, who bats at number three, has scored 187 runs in four matches, including a solid 81, an unbeaten 59, and a counter-attacking 45 against Guyana.
The bowling department has been covered by the skipper herself, Hayley Matthews, who has the most wickets in the tournament. Matthews has taken 15 wickets, including the best figures in the tournament of 7-27 in 8.4 overs. She has received support from Windies pacers Shamilia Connell, Shakera Selman and Deandra Dottin.
Trinidad indeed has shown consistency throughout the tournament. Merissa Aguilleira commented thus after their victory against Jamaica at Everest. “The bowling was on target against Jamaica, and I must commend them.”
She has declared that Barbados are a tough team and they have players in ripping form at the moment, thus it is not going to be an easy task to defeat them. The Trinidad captain disclosed in a CWI interview, “We, as a team, have to remain humble and keep it simple and ensure we click in each department, and we can come out victorious against Barbados, who will be coming at us hard.”
The Trinidad team have from the inception appeared to be one of the better teams. The batting order has all the experience in Stacy-Ann King, Britney Cooper and captain Merissa Aguilleira, who have all played for the West Indies. The openers Rachel Vincent and Felicia Walters have chipped in when needed, but vice-captain Reniece Boyce has been a consistent performer with the bat in the middle-lower order.
She has 139 runs in the three innings she batted, scoring an unbeaten 65 and an unbeaten 43. Along with Lee Ann Kirby, the batting order is capable enough to defeat Barbados.
In the bowling department, the spinners have been impressive. New talent Leandra Ramdeen has 10 wickets in three matches, including 4-12 and 4-35. She has been supported by Karishma Ramharack, who has eight wickets, while the most prolific spinner in the Caribbean, Anisa Mohammed, has seven wickets in the tournament.
The title winner will be decided when the big match commences from 9:30h local time.
