The Trinbago Knight Riders Women exacted revenge on the Barbados Royals in a thrilling one-run victory in the opening match of the inaugural Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) at Warner Park, St. Kitts on Wednesday.
Captain Deandra Dottin held her nerve to defend 11 runs in an eventful last over which included a wicket, a wide and a six, to secure the team’s first win.
Earlier in the day , TKR won the toss and elected to bat first. Lee-Ann Kirby was the top scorer for the Knight Riders with 30, while Deandra Dottin and New Zealander Hayley Jensen contributed 20 runs each to take the team to 114 for the loss of 7 wickets at the end of their 20 overs. Hayley Matthews and Shakera Selman took 2 wickets apiece.
Barbados Royals started positively with skipper Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne scoring early boundaries within the first 4 overs. Alleyne was first to depart for 19 as TKR took wickets fairly regularly until the entry of South African Chloe Tryon – one of the Royals’ hero of the preceding 6ixty Series. Tryon threatened to take the game away as she smashed three sixes to set the Royals on course to achieve the target. However, a very sharp catch by wicketkeeper Natasha McClean off Kirby limited Tryon’s innings to 38 off 26 balls resulting in the innings losing momentum. A strategic decision to bring on veteran Anisa Mohammed in the 17th over tightened the screws further, resulting in the Royals needing 11 runs in the last 6 balls. With the ball in the hands of the Dangerous Dottin, the rest became history.
TKR will look to score a victory in their next match against Guyana Amazon Warriors on Thursday 1st September, which will secure their place in the final on Sunday.
TKR-W 114/7 (20 overs)
Lee-Ann Kirby 30 (30)
Deandra Dottin 20 (15)
Hayley Jensen 20 (18)
Shakera Selman 2/16 (4 overs)
Hayley Matthews 2/28 (7 overs)
BARBADOS ROYALS-W 113/7 (20 overs)
Chloe Tryon 38 (26)
Aaliyah Alleyne 19 (28)
Hayley Matthews 18 (16)
Lee-Ann Kirby 2/32 (4 overs)
Geetika Kodali 1/13 (4 overs)
Photo Credit: CPL T20
