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TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) women's team kept their chances alive of qualifying for the 2023 Massy Women's Caribbean Premier League final with a 13-run win over the previously unbeaten Barbados Royals at the Queen's Park Oval in St Clair on Wednesday.
A loss would have meant TKR's chance of advancing to the final would have been slim because of their net run rate.
The winner of the final preliminary match between TKR and Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Saturday from 3.30 pm will qualify for the final. Royals have already qualified for Sunday's final at Brian Lara Cricket Academy at 3.30 pm.
TKR captain Deandra Dottin, looking ahead to Saturday's match, said, "Confidence-wise we are definitely confident going into the match. All we have to do is just not get complacent and continue playing the cricket we are actually playing."
TKR's batting was below par in their first two matches with scores of 73 and 111/9, but posted a healthy 155/3 on Wednesday.
"What has exactly worked for us is the batting. We knew what we needed to work on and we went out there and put together partnerships," Dottin said after the victory.
The TKR batters came to the party batting first.
Marie Kelly got TKR off to a quick start with Kycia Knight providing ample support. Kelly played confidently, hitting a reverse sweep for four off spinner Vanessa Watts as TKR raced to 44 without loss after only four overs.
Royals captain Hayley Matthews just needed four balls to make her presence felt. Kelly gave herself room attempting to sweep, but she exposed her stumps and was bowled for 28 off 17 balls.
The Royals bowlers kept the TKR batters quiet during the middle overs as Dottin joined Kycia. The ninth over bowled by spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington to Dottin was a maiden.
The tight period of bowling by Royals included the wicket of Kycia for 30 off 30 balls.
With the score on 109/2 after 15 overs, TKR would have been hoping for more boundaries but medium pacers Jahzara Claxton and Aaliyah Alleyne bowled well in tandem.
Four balls into the 17th over, Claxton was penalised for bowling two no balls over the waist and was not allowed to complete the over. Spinner Erin Burns, who had to complete the over, was struck for four down to third man by Mignon du Preez, her first four of the innings.
In the 18th over, Dottin went into another gear hitting Alleyne for four through covers despite Matthews getting a hand on the ball.
Du Preez then got creative, stepping on the off side and flicking a full toss over her shoulder for four down to fine leg.
With balls running out, Dottin was caught at the long off boundary by Gaby Lewis as Matthews got the breakthrough. Royals would have been pleased to keep Dottin's strike rate to less than 100, as she was dismissed for 47 off 51 (six fours).
Du Preez finished with a flourish including a six off the last ball off Burns over long on.
The former South African batter ended on 36 not out off 23 deliveries, a knock which comprised three fours and one six. Matthews picked up 2/23 in four overs for the Royals.
In reply, Matthews showed her class early on scoring 29 of the first 32 runs for Royals. She punished her West Indies team-mate Shamilia Connell in the fourth over with a six and a four as Royals got to 32/0 after four overs.
Left-arm spinner Zaida James could not hold on to a tough caught and bowl chance, as Lewis got a second life.
Royals were cruising on 68/0 in the tenth over, before a memorable moment occured. Samara Ramnath, just 15, got the prized wicket of Matthews for 45 off 33 balls. It was not the best delivery, but Ramnath did not seem to care. Matthews pulled a short delivery and Kelly took a difficult catch on the boundary.
Burns could only score four, before being stumped by Kycia to give Kelly the wicket. The normally free-scoring Laura Harris did not last long, caught at the mid-wicket fence by Britney Cooper as left-arm spinner Fran Jonas grabbed the important wicket.
Lewis kept Royals in the match with boundaries, requiring 36 off the last 18 balls.
James struck twice in the 18th over, first removing Alleyne for six then the dangerous Lewis for 62. Anisa Mohammed, now in her mid-thirties, showed her athleticism by diving forward and holding on to a low catch in the covers to send Lewis back to the pavilion.
Lewis hit six fours and one six in her 51-ball knock.
Royals did not have the firepower in the closing stages ending on 142/7 in 20 overs. James took 2/34 in four overs.
Summarised Scores:
TKR (Deandra Dottin 47, Mignon du Preez 36 not out, Kycia Knight 30, Marie Kelly 28: Hayley Matthews 2/23) vs BARBADOS ROYALS (Gaby Lewis 62, H Matthews 45; Zaida James 2/34) TKR won by 13 runs.
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