Sport

T&T regain regional women's cricket crown

kingstown, st vincent, cmc

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO turned in a good all-round performance to pull off a nail-biting, three-run victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to recapture the West Indies Women's Federation title at the Arnos Vale Playing Field yesterday.

After being asked to bat first by St. Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago were dismissed for 117 in 44.3 overs and then returned to prise out their opponents for 114 in 49.4 overs, despite a fighting knock of 46 from opener Cordel Jack.

Sudden decline

The Trinidadians, who looked to be well placed for a big total at 96 for two in the 36th over, went into sudden decline, losing their last eight wickets for 21 runs. The slide began after Erica George (14), who had added 65 for the third wicket with Brenda Solanzo-Rodney (44), was forced to leave the field with back problems with the score on 94 for two. Two runs later, Solanzo-Rodney skied an attempted on-drive to mid-off to gift her wicket. The Trinidadians then found the leg spin of Earlene Degrads (4-26) and the medium-pace of Clea Hoyte (3-22) too tough to combat and it was left to Lee-Ann Kirby's 16 to see them to their eventual total.

In reply, the Vincentians dug themselves in a hole from early as they scored just 13 runs off the first 10 overs as number nine Nicole Samuel, elevated to open the innings, found it hard to get the ball away.

Scrambled singles

The defending champions seemed to have got things sorted out at 94 for five but the wheels fell off their chase and they crumbled to 102 for nine.

Jack and last batsman, Phernel Charles (3 not out) then guided their side down to the last over where they required five to win the match.

They scrambled singles off the first two deliveries and after being unable to score from the third, Jack swung at the fourth and missed and was smartly stumped by captain, Stephanie Power. Jade Chadee and Felicia Cummins both took two for 18 while Envis Williams finished with two for 28.