Saint Lucia concluded their Windward Islands Women’s T20 Championship campaign with a triumphant 17-run victory against Dominica, securing third place in the tournament. The match, held on Friday, January 9th at Kingstown’s Arnos Vale Sporting Complex, showcased remarkable individual performances that overturned early adversity.
After electing to bat first, Saint Lucia faced immediate disaster as their top order collapsed to 15-4 within the opening overs, eventually stumbling to 35-5. Dominica’s Abini St Jean spearheaded the assault with impressive bowling figures of 3-10 from her four-over spell.
The recovery began with captain Zaida James anchoring the innings with a resilient 67 runs from 54 deliveries, including six boundaries and two sixes. Her partnership with Krishna Joseph, who contributed a brisk 21 from 15 balls, proved crucial. A particularly productive 16th over yielding 26 runs significantly boosted their total, eventually posting 122 all out – their highest team score of the competition.
Dominica’s response appeared promising initially, reaching 43-2 after the powerplay and 80-3 at the midway point. However, left-arm pacer Nerissa Crafton dramatically shifted momentum with a devastating two-wicket maiden over in the 12th. Her exceptional bowling performance culminated with 4-2 from her allotted overs, including the key dismissal of Earnisha Fontaine for 31 runs. Fifteen-year-old debutant Gilia McLaurent also claimed a wicket in supporting role.
Despite early promise, Dominica ultimately fell short at 105-9, handing Saint Lucia their first victory of the championship. The outstanding performances from senior players now positions them as strong contenders for selection in the upcoming Wind Indies T20 Blaze tournament.