Deandra Dottin scored 59 runs to hand Trinbago Knight Riders the inaugural women’s CPL title, defeating Barbados Royals in the final by 10 runs on September 4th.
The inaugural edition of the women’s Caribbean Premier League wasn’t a spectacle, marred with weather and poor pitches. The final game wasn’t high-scoring either, but it did produce an interesting contest, mostly because of two of the best players in the Caribbean – Dottin and Hayley Matthews. The Barbados Royals skipper gave her all but could not trump Dottin’s Knight Riders for the title.
Dottin was the lone performer with the bat for TKR in the first innings as she almost batted through the innings and scored 59 off 62 balls. The next highest score was 12 by Sune Luus. Qiana Joseph dismissed Lee-Ann Kirby while Chloe Tryon caught and bowled Luus.
Afy Fletcher had Natasha McLean caught through to the keeper before Shakera Selman knocked over Hayley Jensen to reduce Riders to 61 for 4. Dottin and Kyshona Knight stitched together a crucial 32-run partnership before Matthews snared three wickets in the same over, including Dottin.
Barbados Royals didn’t have the best of starts either, with Aaliyah Alleyne getting dismissed off Jensen for 7. Kirby then had Britney Cooper caught behind before Anisa Mohammed had the dangerous Chloe Tryon stumped. Luus got into the act, bagging Chinelle Henry and Joseph, while Sheneta Grimmond also picked a wicket to have Royals reeling at 56/5.
When the wickets kept tumbling around, Matthews fought and fought. She scored 46 runs and had Royals on the brink of a victory, with 11 needed off 11 with two wickets in hand. But then Mohammed killed the game by dismissing Matthews and cleaned up the no. 11 two balls later as TKR clinched the title.
Brief scores
Trinbago Knight Riders 100/7 in 20 overs (Deandra Dottin 59, Hayley Matthews 3/22) defeated Barbados Royals 90 in 18.4 overs (Hayley Matthews 46, Mohammed 3/16, Sune Luus 2/17, Hayley Jensen 2/18, Sheneta Grimmond 2/22) by 10 runs
