Royals Women return to CPL finals

After securing three consecutive wins at home, the Barbados Royals are set to make their way to the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) finals.

With contrasting back-to-back wins over the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Trinbago Knight Riders, the Royals booked their spot in the championship game scheduled for September 10, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago.

On Sunday in their final game at Kensington Oval, the Royals defeated the Amazon Warriors by three wickets. 

Batting first the Amazon Warriors made 146-4 from their 20 overs. In reply, the Royals finished on 147-7 in 19.2 overs.

“It’s awesome, it’s always great to be in a bit of a winning streak and obviously to get three wins in front of the home crowd,” Australian Erin Burns told Barbados TODAY after the Royals beat the Amazon Warriors for the second time in five daysl.

This year marked the return of CPL matches to Kensington Oval after a four-year hiatus and it was the first time the women’s tournament was being played at the Mecca.

Burns has emerged as a standout performer in the tournament, and is the second-highest scorer with 93
runs in three matches, with her highest individual score being 53. 

Additionally, Burns leads the wicket-taking charts, having taken five scalps in three matches, with her best bowling performance being three-for-19 against the Knight Riders.

While the Barbados Royals have one more game to play in the preliminary round against the Knight Riders, the outcome of this match holds no consequences for them but is crucial for the Trinidadian-based franchise. 

Given that the Amazon Warriors have suffered two losses to the Royals, the Warriors’ upcoming game against the Knight Riders becomes a must-win showdown to determine who will face Barbados in Sunday’s finals. 

As they seek to improve upon their runner-up finish from last year, Royals captain Hayley Matthews emphasised the team’s unwavering focus on ending their campaign on a positive
note. 

(RT)