KOWLOON: Spirit Women’s bowlers put on a tight bowling display to restrict Barmy Army Women to a modest total before skipper Nicola Carey led from the front to power her side to a convincing victory in the campaign opener.
Set to chase 136, the Spirit amassed the total in the 19th over for the loss of six wickets with their captain Carey leading the charge with a sensible 40-run knock.
Openers Sarah Bryce and Sophia Dunkley provided a flying start to the run chase as the pair added 39 runs within four overs before Rumana Ahmed dismissed Bryce, who could score seven off 10.
Natthakan Chantham then joined Dunkley in the middle and put on a crucial partnership for the second wicket. The duo batted sensibly and added 28 runs to the total before the former departed after scoring a 17-ball 23.
Chantham’s dismissal sparked a collapse and the Spirit soon slipped to 72/4 in the ninth over with Dunkley also falling victim. She scored brisk 35 off 20 deliveries, laced up with three boundaries and as many sixes.
Following the setback, Carey played a captain’s knock and put on a gritty fifth-wicket partnership with Kerry-Anne Tomlinson.
The pair batted cautiously and added 46 runs to the total in 38 deliveries before Spirit two more quick wickets as Tomlinson (20) and Nensi Patel (2) perished in successive overs.
Carey, however, held his ground firm and steered her side to glory in the 19th over with a fighting knock and a little help from Nattaya Boochatham, who scored a run-a-ball six.
Carey top-scored for the Spirit with 40 off 30 deliveries, hitting six boundaries.
Put into bat first by the Spirit, Bary Army could only post 135/5 in their set of 20 overs despite Shemaine Campbelle’s brisk 33 runs down the order as their top order faltered.
Barmy Army openers Deandra Dottin and Lauren Winfield-Hill scripted a promising start but Mahika Gaur ceased the budding partnership in the third over as she got Dottin (8) caught behind.
Following her dismissal, Bary Army ran into a collapse and consequently slipped to 86/5 in the 14th over with Winfield-Hill (22) and Kavisha Egodage (30) remained the notable run-getters.
Campbelle, alongside Tara Norris (17), looked to settle things down for Barmy Army with an unbeaten 49-run partnership and powered Barmy Army to a competitive total, which, however, was not enough in the end.
Betty Chan and Mahika Gaur bagged two wickets each for Spirit while Ayabonga Khaka made one scalp.
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