PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC) — Chamari Athapaththu and Courtney Webb scored impressive half-centuries, and the Barbados Royals Women prepared for Wednesday’s Women Caribbean Premier League finals with a convincing seven-wicket win over the Trinbago Knight Riders Women here on
Tuesday.

Having already been eliminated after losing all three of their previous matches, the Knight Riders produced their best batting display of the tournament in posting 148 for eight in their 20 overs at Providence Stadium, thanks to Jess Jonassen’s knock of 71.

However, Player of the Match Athapaththu hit 89 from 71 balls while Webb cracked an unbeaten 50 off 42 balls to steer the defending champions to 149 for three with five balls remaining in the contest.

With the win the Royals head into the final unbeaten after winning all four of their preliminary matches, while the Knight Riders ended winless in their four games.

After choosing to bat the Knight Riders lost the crucial wicket of their Captain Deandra Dottin, who was bowled for a duck by Chinelle Henry in the first over, and Jannillea Glasgow who made just two before she was back in the pavilion to leave them 22 for two.

Jonassen then added 44 runs with Zaida James and 39 with Shikha Pandey to rebuild the innings before she became Henry’s second wicket after facing 52 balls and striking nine fours and one six, with the score 105 for four at the start of the 16th over.

Pandey, who scored 24 off 21 balls, and Jahzara Claxton, who made 15, then batted responsibly to help get their side up to a competitive total.

For the Royals, Henry took 3-25 and Shamilia Connell 2-33.

After slumping to three for two in the first over in their run chase the Royals were saved by a sensational 144-run partnership between Athapaththu and Webb.

By the time the former was bowled by Jonassen with the last ball of the 19th over, after hitting 10 fours and three sixes, the Royals required just two runs from the final six balls.

Webb finished off proceedings by scoring the final two runs which took her to her half-century off 42 balls, inclusive of four fours and one six.