Cooper, Ramharack lead T&T Women past Guyana for third-place finish

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC):

Britney Cooper and Karishma Ramharack played critical roles as Trinidad and Tobago Women clinched third spot in the T20 Blaze with an exciting seven-run win over Guyana Women on Friday.

Cooper’s 46 off 44 balls, which contained six fours, was the cornerstone of T&T’s total of 104 for seven in their 20 overs after being sent in to bat at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Ramharack then made early inroads into Guyana’s top order, with the defending champions eventually being dismissed for 97 in 19.4 overs.

T&T lost the early wickets of opener Shunelle Sawh and Djenaba Joseph, with spinner Ashmini Munisar accounting for both wickets to leave them 31 for two.

Danellie Manns then bowled both Lee-Ann Kirby for five and Anisa Mohammed for two to put Guyana in control of the contest, with the score 60 for four after 10 overs.

However, Cooper, and Ramharack shared a crucial partnership of 32 for the fifth wicket that helped to put T&T back on track.

Munisar returned to dismiss Ramharack for 13, and T&T lost momentum in their final overs.

Munisar took 4-15 and Manns finished with 2-14 for Guyana.

Guyana lost wickets at regular intervals in their run chase, with Ramharack accounting for openers Realeanna Grimmond and Sheneta Grimmond, Shalini Samaroo dismissing captain Shemaine Campbelle for four and Mandy Mangru for five to see them slip to 54 for five in the 10th over.

Shabika Gajnabi and Latoya Williams mounted a recovery in a partnership of 31 that carried them to 85 for five and left them with a chance of victory.

But when Mohammed broke the stand by trapping Williams lbw for 13, Guyana lost four wickets for just four runs to seal their fate.

Ramharack claimed 3-13, Kirby grabbed 2-10, Samaroo, 2-16, and Mohammed, 2-17.