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By Peter Della Penna (on Twitter)
Scorecard powered by the New Inning Foundation
USA gave the Cayman Islands Women’s team a harsh introduction to
international cricket, beating the host country by 68 runs on Monday in
the 2012 ICC Americas Women’s Twenty20 Championship at Smith Road Oval
in George Town, Cayman Islands. Nadia Gruny top scored with 36 off 32
balls, including three boundaries, in USA’s total of 125 for 4 before
they bowled out Cayman Islands for 57 in 19 overs.
USA won the toss and batted first as Geetha Shawkarla, Delkash
Shahriarian and Sahar Azmat sat out of the starting lineup for USA while
the Cayman Islands Women’s team embarked on their first ever official
match. Gruny and Karen Bayles opening the batting but Bayles didn’t last
long, out third ball without scoring to Paulette Robinson to make it 16
for 1. Gruny was joined by USA captain Candacy Atkins and the two added
38 for the second wicket before Gruny was bowled by Sheila Rankine.
Former Trinidad & Tobago representative Melissa Sandy came to the
crease and along with Atkins produced the biggest partnership of the
match with 55 runs for the third wicket. Sandy eventually departed for
27 off 32 balls, caught by Cayman Islands captain Molly Anne Moore off
the bowling of Carmel Harms. Atkins left two runs later for 29 off 44,
caught by Harms off Deserne Cox. Samantha Ramautar and Triholder
Marshall then added on another 14 runs before the end of the innings to
take USA to a total which they easily defended.
Robinson
had the best figures for Cayman Islands with 1 for 6 in two overs.
Rankine was the most expensive with 1 for 33 in four overs. Cayman
Islands conceded a total of 23 extras in the field, including 16 wides.
Cayman Islands never had a chance in the chase after losing three
quick wickets, sliding to 7 for 3 in the sixth over. Robinson was run
out without facing a delivery while her fellow opener Harms got a duck
in more orthodox fashion, trapped LBW by Ramautar before Indiana
Watson-Scott was bowled by Claudine Beckford for 1.
The fourth wicket stand of 18 between Moore and Wyvonne Forbes was
the best of the innings for Cayman Islands. Forbes was eventually out
for 4 to give Beckford her second wicket. Akshatha Rao dismissed Carnet
McField for 3 to make it 36 for 5 and Gruny bowled Cox for 2 to make it
43 for 6 in the 14th over.
After being USA’s leading wicket-taker last November in Bangladesh,
Marshall finally got into the act as Vanessa Cameron Clarke was pinned
LBW for 2 to make it 52 for 7 in the 17th. Moore’s resistance was
finally ended by Ramautar in the next over for 18 off 45 balls to make
it 52 for 8. Marshall ran out Melrose McFarlane for 1 to make it 53 for 9
and Beulah Pidakala wrapped up the match at the end of the 19th as she
pulled off USA’s third runout of the innings, sending Rankine on her way
for 2.
Beckford had USA’s best figures in the match with 2 for 2 in four
overs including three maidens. Ramautar was just as impressive with 2
for 4 in three. Marshall finished with 1 for 10 in four but only three
of those runs were conceded off the bat. Extras wound up being the top
score for Cayman Islands in the innings as USA gave away 23 of them
including 18 wides.
In the other matches on Monday, Canada defeated Brazil by 126 runs in
the morning match at J.P. Powell Oval. Brazil won the toss and sent
Canada in to bat and the tournament favorites were happy to oblige,
racking up 181 for 3 in their 20 overs. Durriya Shabbir top scored for
Canada with 63 off 52 balls, including four boundaries, and was part of a
99-run partnership for the third wicket with Joanna White. Brazil was
then restricted to 55 for 8 in their 20 overs. Kamna Mirchandani took 3
for 13 in four overs in the field for Canada.
In the late game at J.P. Powell Oval, Argentina won by 8 wickets over
Bermuda. Argentina won the toss and sent Bermuda in to bat. The
decision worked to great effect as Bermuda was bowled out for 59 in 17.5
overs. Sharon Seaton opened the bowling and did the early damage for
Argentina, taking 3 for 24 in four overs. Mercedes Esperon applied
pressure later in the innings, taking 2 for 1 in three overs. Extras top
scored for Bermuda with 14. Argentina chased the target in 10.4 overs.
Dirce Yuli top scored with 23 off 25 balls.
USA returns to action on Tuesday against Brazil at the J.P. Powell Oval at 11:30 a.m. EST.