TT women dethrone St Lucia

ST. GEORGE’S: Trinidad and Tobago dethroned St Lucia to capture the league title of the 2003 West Indies Women’s Cricket Tournament here on Tuesday. Both Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica were awarded full points in their matches marred by controversy. Trinidad and Tobago ended the tournament on 12 points, followed by St Lucia with 10, and Jamaica on seven, with St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Grenada joint fourth on five points each. Guyana finished on two points, while North America, a combined United States and Canadian outfit, lost all their matches. The organisers decided on Tuesday night to give TT the maximum three points for their match against Grenada after the hosts failed to take the field for the start of Trinidad and Tobago’s innings at the Victoria Park in Grenville. The Grenadians, sent to bat, were bowled out for 113 off 42.2 overs, with top scores from Susan Redhead (17), Lydia Edgar (16) and Marilyn Nelson (14).

The 14-year-old off-spinner Anisa Mohammed took five for 20 off 10 overs for TT and left-arm spinner Shane DeSilva captured two for 36 off seven. The match was halted by rain and Grenada refused to continue when umpires decided to resume play at 4 pm local time. Yesterday was a rest day and the teams return to action today for the start of the knockout tournament, with Grenada playing SVG at La Sagesse, St. Lucia meeting North America at Tanteen, and Jamaica tackling Guyana at River Sallee. New league champions Trinidad and Tobago, who are defending the knockout title, received a bye and will face the winner of the Grenada/SVG match in tomorrow’s semi-finals. The final is set for Saturday.