ACKEE AND?SALTFISH ruled over cou cou and flying fish as Jamaica, led by an impressive unbeaten 79 from Stafanie Taylor, advanced to tomorrow’s final of the West Indies Cricket (WICB) Women’s 50 overs championship.
In yesterday’s semi-final at Kensington Oval, Jamaica defeated Barbados by five wickets with 13.2 overs to spare.
Chasing Barbados’ total of 136, Jamaica scored 137 from 36.4 overs, when Taylor, who carried her bat, flicked Pamela Lavine for a single through forward square.
Their opponents in the final will be defending champions Trinidad and Tobago who comfortably beat St Lucia by six wickets at Weymouth.
Taylor and Natasha McLean shared an opening partnership of 60. It was broken in the 17th over, when McLean was brilliantly caught and bowled low down by Shaquana Quintyne for 17.
Leg-spinner Quintyne gave Barbados a glimmer of hope with two more wickets in quick time. Shanel Daley and Jodi-Ann Morgan were bowled behind their legs sweeping at Quintyne, who took three for 17 from ten overs.
From 97 for five, Player Of The Match Taylor and Vanessa Watson (13 not out) saw the Jamaicans home. Taylor’s knock, which included a number of lovely shots on both sides of the wicket, came off 102 balls and was spiced with seven fours.
Earlier, Barbados invited to bat, were dismissed for a sub-standard 136 in 49.2 overs.
They lost their way after openers Danielle Small, with 28 and Kycia Knight put on 42 before Small was caught at mid-on in the 14th over, hitting out.
Three overs later, Deandra Dottin was magnificently caught and bowled by off-spinner Vanessa Watts for nine. Watts claimed three for 29 from her ten overs.
Knight flicked the first ball from medium pacer Roshanna Outar into the lap of Peta-Gaye Hanson at deep midwicket, departing for 17.
Veteran Lavine trying to release the shackles, pulled a short ball straight to short midwicket off Outar (two for 12).
Both Quintyne and Charlene Taitt fell in the same over to Chadean Nation (two for 11) as Barbados were reduced to 74 for six.
Kayshona Knight, the twin sister of Kycia, provided some resistance with a well-constructed unbeaten 44, to ensure Barbados passed the 100-run mark.
Knight faced 75 balls and hit two fours. She and Reshelle Griffith added 20 vital runs for the seventh wicket before Griffith and Shakera Selman fell to Watts in the second over of the batting power play.
