Defending champions Barbados Royals Women (BRW) are one step away from glory after their 17-run win over Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) Monday night in Tarouba qualified them for this year’s Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) final.
Under the dazzling lights of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in difficult batting conditions, the Royals posted 101-8 from their 20 overs after being sent into bat. In response the Warriors struggled to find any rhythm with the bat throughout the innings, eventually ending on 84-9.
Player of the Match Qiana Joseph, and Aaliyah Alleyne, were the key contributors with the bat for the Royals with scores of 19 and 18 respectively, as spinners Chloe Tyron and Erin Burns starred with the ball, taking five wickets between them.
After failing with the bat, Matthews lived up to her standing as the world number one T20 all rounder as her bowling figures of 4-14 dovetailed wonderfully with the slow left arm spin of Joseph (3-16) to halt any headway the Warriors were making with the bat.
As proof of how challenging it was to score on this surface, the top two run scorers in this year’s competition (Burns with 172 and Matthews with 130) could only manage 20 runs between them last night.
That result meant the Royals Women have locked in top spot in the table with six points from their three matches and will play a role in deciding their competitors in Sunday’s final.
The unbeaten Royals are into their third successive final after which will see them reach their third successive final, losing the inaugural final in 2022 to Trinbago Knight Riders Women by 10 runs before emerging victorious last year against the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women by eight runs.
Summarised Scores:
Barbados Royals Women 101-8 in 20 overs (Qiana Joseph 19, Aaliyah Alleyne 18; Erin Burns 3-31, Chloe Tyron 2-17). Guyana Amazon Warriors Women 89-8 in 20 overs (Natasha McLean 20; Hayley Matthews 4-14, Qiana Joseph 3-16). Barbados Royals Women won by 17 runs.
