In a dominant display of youth women’s cricket at the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 competition on Monday, Barbados secured a commanding 90-run victory over the Leeward Islands, anchored by a career-defining Player-of-the-Match performance from opening batter Eboni Brathwaite.
This third-round fixture marked Barbados’ second straight win in the tournament, after rain and poor conditions forced the abandonment of their opening-round clash, leaving them already with momentum heading into Monday’s matchup. Held at Antigua’s iconic Coolidge Cricket Ground, the match saw Barbados win the toss and elect to bat first, setting an imposing target for their opponents from the first ball.
Brathwaite, opening the innings for Barbados, delivered a record-worthy knock that captivated the small on-site crowd and viewers watching the streamed match. Facing 76 deliveries, the teenage batter remained undefeated, smashing a staggering 135 runs, punctuated by 17 blistering fours and seven powerful sixes. Her innings yielded a remarkable strike rate of 178, setting the tone for a massive total that would prove out of reach for the Leeward Islands.
Support came from the rest of Barbados’ batting line-up: Jadaeya Holder contributed five runs, Theanny Hebert-Mayers added eight, and Zaniyah Bruce rounded out the innings with an unbeaten 20. When the 20 allotted overs came to a close, Barbados had posted 206 runs for the loss of just two wickets, a dominant total that put enormous pressure on the Leeward Islands’ batting unit.
In response, the Leeward Islands struggled to match Barbados’ aggressive intensity, despite solid contributions from their top-order batters. Zara Skerritt led the team’s scoring with an unbeaten 36 runs, while Innka Wilson chipped in with a useful 26. By the end of their 20 overs, the Leeward Islands had only managed 116 runs for the loss of three wickets, falling 90 runs short of the required target.
Barbados’ bowlers shared the wickets evenly, with Zoe McCallister, Zaniyah Bruce, and Camia Matthew-Brome each claiming one wicket to keep the Leeward Islands’ run chase in check.
Looking ahead, Barbados will turn their attention to their next fixture, where they are set to face Jamaica on Wednesday as they continue their push for a top position in the tournament standings.