KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – Chinelle Henry hit an even, unbeaten century, the first of this year’s Women’s T20 Blaze, as defending champions Jamaica Women crushed Barbados Women by 62 runs on Wednesday.

Henry’s heroics helped Jamaica recover from 11-3 to post a competitive 149-5 from their 20 overs at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

Needing to score at just over seven runs an over, Barbados Women were never up to the task and at the end of their 20 overs they had limped to 87 for four to fall to their fourth-straight defeat.

Barbados Women started positively after Jamaica elected to bat first with pacer Shamilia Connell dismissing Jodian Morgan, Chedean Nation and Abigail Bryce early on.

But Henry revived the innings in a 70-run partnership with opener Rashada Williams, who scored a patient 25 from 42 deliveries.

And when Williams and Keneshia Ferron perished to leave the score 105 for five in the 17th over, Henry dominated an unbroken 44-run stand with Lena Scott, who contributed just three runs.

Henry bludgeoned off-spinner Naijanni Cumberbatch for 29 runs in the penultimate over, hitting her for five consecutive boundaries to move into the 90s.

She then got to her century, off the very last ball of the innings, by scampering two runs off the bowling of Connell.

Henry faced 49 balls and struck eight sixes and six fours.

Connell was Barbados’ best bowler, taking 3-14.

Barbados’ batters then struggled to get the ball off the square in an unimpressive run chase.

Despite losing just four wickets, they never threatened the target, with Naijanni Cumberbatch scoring a laboured 35 off 56 balls, while Asabi Callender’s unbeaten knock of 30 required 46 balls.

Neisha-Ann Waisome took 2-10 for Jamaica Women.