Jamaica stay perfect in T20 Blaze

Jamaica bowlers held their nerve and defended a low total to claim victory by six runs over Trinidad and Tobago in round two of the Cricket West Indies Twenty20 (T20) Blaze at Warner Park in St Kitts yesterday.

The Jamaicans batted first and posted 115 runs for nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs and then returned to put in a decent bowling effort to restrict T&T to 109 for nine.

Jamaica's total was built around a decent top-order effort, with captain Rashada Williams leading the way with a run-a-ball 32, which included one four and a six.

West Indies player Chedean Nation also got among the runs, as she also made 32 from as many balls, which included three fours.

Nation and Williams added 27 runs for the second wicket, while Nation and Natasha McLean put on 47 runs for the third wicket.

McLean scored 24 runs from 21 balls, with two fours and a six, however, when she fell with the score on 103 for four in the 18th over, Jamaica innings hit a snag, producing only 12 additional runs.

Captain Anisa Mohammed bagged three wickets for 19 runs, while Lee-Ann Kirby took two wickets for 18 runs.

T&T's reply started and ended slowly, with the Jamaicans picking up wickets at regular intervals to put a skid on their run chase.

Djeneba Joseph hit one six in her knock of 17, while captain Mohammed hit a four and a six in getting to 16, but when they both went with the score 76 for five in the 15th over, things swiftly slipped for T&T.

Britney Cooper came in and played a couple of shots, which yielded 29 runs, but when she went after seamer Celine Whyte and was bowled, that signalled the virtual end to a successful run chase.

Seamer Neisha Ann Waisome ended with three wickets for 16 runs as Jamaica go to the top of the standings with maximum points from their two victories.