KINGSTOWN, St Vincent – Shawnisha Hector scored a half century and took two crucial wickets to lead Leeward Islands Women to an exciting nine-wicket win over Jamaica Women in the T20 Blaze here on Tuesday.
Shawnisha HectorBatting at the top of the order, Hector anchored her team’s innings during a knock of 56 off 55 balls with six fours, which helped the Leewards post 108 for five off their 20 overs at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.
Hector then returned to grab 2-15 from her four overs to limit last year’s losing finalists to 99 for eight.
The Leeward Islands got off to the worst possible start with Qiana Joseph unlucky to be caught and bowled off the first ball of the match after her on drive ricocheted off the boot of Neisha-Ann Waisome and into the air to give the bowler the easiest of catches.
Hector added 35 runs with Jahzara Claxton, before the latter and Reniece Boyce fell in quick succession.
She then put on 48 runs with Amanda Edwards, who made 20, for the fourth wicket, which helped take her side to the 100 mark.
Hector was eventually dismissed in the penultimate over and the Leeward Islands limped to the finish, scoring eight runs off the final 10 balls.
Chedean Nation took 2-15 to be Jamaica’s best bowler.
Buoyed by an unbeaten 48 from Nation, Jamaica was comfortably placed at 60 for two in the 12th over during a 40-run partnership with Stafanie Taylor.
However, the turning point of the match came when off spinner Davronique Maynard had Taylor caught for 25.
It led to a collapse that saw Jamaica lose six wickets for just 23 runs and control of the contest, as they slumped to 83 for eight in the 18th over.
Nation led a comeback effort in an unbroken partnership of 19 runs for the ninth wicket with Celina Whyte, but Jamaica fell agonisingly short of their modest target.
Maynard (2-19) and Claxton (2-26) both provided solid support with the ball.
