Knight Riders edge Royals by one-run in Women’s CPL opener Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Trinbago Knight Riders scored a nail-biting one-run victory against Barbados Royals in the opening game of the inaugural Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) at Warner Park in St Kitts on Wednesday.

Batting first after winning, Knight Riders got off to a flyer but lost regular wickets to finish on 114 for seven off their allotted 20 overs.

Lee-Ann Kirby top scored for the Knight Riders with a well-fought run-a-ball 30 runs while Deandra Dottin (20 from 15), Hayley Jensen (20 from 18), and Sune Luus (17 from 23) also got into double figures.

Shakera Selman and Hayley Matthews were the picks of the Royals’ bowlers with two wickets apiece. Matthews claimed bragging rights by dismissing her counterpart, Dottin.

The Royals also lost regular wickets during their chase and despite 38 from Chloe Tryon, an innings that included three huge sixes, they replied with 113 for seven, one run short of the victory target.

Kirby added to her batting prowess with two important wickets and was integral to the Knight Riders taking the win, but it was captain Dottin in the final over that sealed the victory and all but booked them a spot in the final.

Kirby and Natasha Mclean started the Knight Riders’ innings strongly before McLean was dismissed for seven by Sheneta Grimmond and Kirby’s run-a-ball 30 came to an end at the hands of young Fatima Sana.

When the partnership of Luus and Dottin was broken, the Royals knew they were in with a chance of keeping the scoring to a minimum and when Matthews, with a heavily strapped right elbow, dismissed Dottin, the Knight Riders suddenly found themselves 80 for four.

They made it past 100 and strong hitting from Jensen, including a 66m six off Matthews, saw them finish 114 for seven.

Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne both made starts at the top of the innings. The pair raced to 29 before Matthews was caught off Jensen. She was soon followed by Reniece Boyce at the hands of the Geetika Kodali, the hat-trick hero from the inaugural 6ixty.

The asking rate continued to rise with Tryon and Britney Cooper at the crease and, after 10 overs, the Royals needed 69 from 60 with seven wickets in hand.

Tryon took matters into her own hands as she took on Kirby and smashed her for three sixes in an over as she made a dent in the run chase in the 15th over. But a short-pitched delivery in the same over found an outside edge and she had to go for 38.

At 88 for five, the Royals were in all sorts of trouble and the introduction of Anisa Mohammed added to their woes when Chinelle Henry played on and had to go for 12 leaving the Royals 91 for six after 17.

The excitement ramped up when captain Dottin took the ball for the over with the Royals 104 for six and needing 11. She cleaned up Afy Fletcher for eight with the first delivery and had Knight Riders’ fans believing that had all but sealed the victory.

But Qiana Joseph, at just 21-years-old, and having not conceded a boundary off her bowling, dispatched Dottin back over her head to make the equation five off three.

With five needed, Dottin couldn’t find her line and sent down a wide to make it four needed off two and a real nail-biter. To add to the drama, Qiana then slipped as she played her shot, and Sana, who had set off for the run, was nearly run-out.

Qiana, knowing they needed a boundary to win, swung with all her might at the final ball, but couldn’t get the elevation or distance and the Royals fell one run short.

Both teams still have one game to play in the hope of qualifying for Saturday’s final.

The three-team WCPL – Guyana Amazon Warriors being the third team – is being played across four afternoons in St Kitts and Nevis during double-header days before the men’s fixtures in the evening.

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