CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC
West Indies ace player Stafanie Taylor registered a sturdy all-round performance for Jamaica to defeat Guyana by four wickets in the final of the West Indies Under-19 women’s cricket championship on Sunday.
Taylor grabbed four wickets and then struck a blistering half century as Jamaica scored 167-6 off 33.3 overs in reply to Guyana’s 164-9 made off their 50 overs at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
Electing to bat, Guyana, who were heavily dependent on their captain Shermain Campbell, again got a solid effort from their West Indies fringe player.
Campbell hit 74 with six boundaries and was the backbone of her team’s innings, batting at number three, as Jacqulyn Smith (16) and Heema Singh (15) were the only other players getting to double figures for Guyana.
Taylor was efficient for the Jamaicans, claiming 4-30 off 10 overs with her off-spin to be the champions’ chief wicket-taker.
Chinelle Henry (1-23), Roshane Outar (1-24), Abbie-Gaye Hendricks (1-29) and Naisha-ann Waisome (1-33) shared four wickets for Jamaica.
Opening the batting, Taylor, the leading scorer for West Indies at last month’s ICC Women’s World Cup in Australia, guided Jamaica to victory with an aggressive knock of 70 at better than run-a-ball rate.
She only faced 59 balls and smashed seven fours in an 84-minute stay at the crease that ended when she was bowled by Marina Bridgmohan at 124 for four.
Shanae Cox, batting at number five, had a vital unbeaten knock of 38 to ensure victory for the Jamaicans with 16.3 overs to spare.
Bowling for Guyana, Bridgmohan took 3-24 off eight overs and Oliva Oselmo picked up 2-34 off 7.3 overs.
Jamaica and Guyana had advanced to the final after topping their respective zones with 100 per cent win records.
Jamaica defeated Dominica, Barbados and Grenada to top Zone A and Guyana won against St Vincent and the Grenadines, hosts St Lucia and defending champions Trinidad and Tobago by two runs to win Zone B.
The victory gave Jamaica a third regional cricket title in recent weeks.
Their seniors won the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy for the West Indies first-class championship and the Jamaica Under-15 boys emerged champions of the CLICO West Indies junior tournament in Trinidad this past weekend.
