Defending champs Jamaica women bested by T&T

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

TRINIDAD AND Tobago Women pulled off a major upset by defeating defending champions Jamaica Women by five wickets in a close encounter in the Women’s T20 Blaze yesterday.

Jamaica Women produced a lacklustre effort with the bat, only managing to get up to 65-9 in their 20 overs after choosing to bat first at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

T&T Women then made a meal of their run chase before eventually emerging victorious on 66 for five with four balls remaining in the match.

The result catapulted T&T to the top of the standings with two wins from two matches, while leaving Jamaica with a difficult task of defending their title.

The writing was on the wall for Jamaica early in the contest after they lost captain Rashada Williams, Chedean Nation and Abigail Bryce with just nine runs on the board.

Their struggles were further evident as they limped to 20 for three at the halfway stage.

Left-arm spinner Steffie Soogrim helped to suffocate the Jamaicans, grabbing four wickets for just two runs from her four overs.

Chinelle Henry (18) and Keneisha Ferron, who made 16, were the only two batters to score in double digits, and were mainly responsible for getting them up to their eventual total.

T&T found themselves in similar trouble at the start of their run chase, slumping to 11 for three early on.

But Britney Cooper scored an unbeaten 30 and, along with Anisa Mohammed, who made a crucial 18, steered the side to victory.