The North Zone Cricket Academy women’s team lost their second fixture of the 2025 Trinidad and Tobago Women’s Cricket Association (TTWCA) Championship Division on Sunday, losing to the Brenda Solozano Cricket Academy by six wickets.
Openers Naomi Ali and Sarah Sahadath put on a promising opening stand of 44 before a precipitous late-order collapse saw the North Zone Academy lose their last seven wickets for 31 runs to total 119.
Brenda Solozano Cricket Academy chased down the runs in 22.4 overs with Ishana Dass scoring 27 not out to go with figures of 4 for 17 in the match.
North Zone Academy did not do themselves any favors, giving up 78 extras on the day, including a whopping 63 wides.
The North Zone team won their opening game last week after their opponents, Sital Youngstars, played two unregistered players.
Playing at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Santa Cruz, the North Zone Academy team started well after their opponents put them into bat.
Sahadath, who shone with the ball in their opening game, showed her mettle with the bat, grinding out a gritty 16 off 39 balls in the company of fellow opener Ali.
Ali stuck a solitary boundary in her 21 off 55 balls as the pair put on 44 in 10.5 overs before Sahadath fell leg before wicket to Dass.
Ali and the next three batting partners would realize 44 more runs before the North Zone Academy opener fell for 21.
However, from 88 for 4 the North Zone team subsided quickly with Dass claiming two further wickets.
Solozano, a 62-year-old former West Indies player, came to the fore, cleaving through the North Zone middle and lower order to take 4 for 13.
The North Zone Academy lost their last seven wickets within the space of 42 balls to be dismissed for 119 in 26.4 overs.
With the ball in hand, North Zone Academy opening bowler Jessica Davis, the granddaughter of former West Indies batsman Bryan Davis, gave her team the ideal start trapping Solozano (0) in front with the fifth ball of the opening over.
However, their opponents would repair the damage with a 101-run stand for the second wicket between Dass and Arabella Phillip, aided and abetted by some wayward bowling.
Brenda Solozano Cricket Academy would benefit greatly from wide deliveries during this phase of the game with 63 runs coming from extras during the partnership.
Despite the game slipping away from them, North struck back with Sahadath getting rid of Phillip for 12 before Davis dismissed Nirmala Latchmansingh (1) six runs later.
With the scores tied, an undeterred Davis struck another blow bowling Nicola Persad for 1.
However, Arissa Samaroo struck the winning run off the first ball she faced to hand the Brenda Solozano Academy the victory by six wickets.
Davis ended with figures of 3 for 16 off 5.4 overs, while Sahadath took the other wicket to fall (1/16).
Ali ended with a courageous 27 not out 27 not out off 83 balls to guide her team home.
The North Zone Academy team was left to rue an extras total of 78 on the day, with 63 wides and 10 no-balls.
In the third round of the TTWCA Championship Division, North Zone Academy will play the Moses Lendore Cricket Academy on Sunday at noon at Exchange Recreation Ground, Couva.
Summarized scores: North Zone Cricket Academy 119 in 26.4 overs (Naomi Ali 21, Sarah Sahadath 16, Onika Adams Hillaire 9; Brenda Solozano 4/13, Ishana Dass 4/17, Nirmala Latchmansingh 1/13) vs. Brenda Solozano Cricket Academy 120 for 4 in 22.4 overs (Ishana Dass 27*, Arabella Phillip 12; Jessica Davis 3/16, Sarah Sahadath 1/16). BSCA won by six wickets
