Guyana Amazon Warriors suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket defeat after Chinelle Henry struck consecutive sixes from the final two balls to guide Jamaica Empress to a dramatic victory in their Limacol Women’s Caribbean Premier League debut at Kensington Oval.
The Empress needed 17 runs from the final over with only three wickets remaining, but Henry kept Jamaica’s hopes alive against Warriors captain Chloe Tryon. Two run-outs added to the tension before Henry, with eight required from two deliveries, cleared the boundary twice to snatch victory from the Guyanese franchise.
The powerful right-hander finished unbeaten on 41 from only 21 balls, hitting four sixes during her match-winning innings.
Earlier, the Warriors were sent in to bat and struggled during the Power Play, losing two wickets while managing just 19 runs.
Shemaine Campbelle and Realanna Grimmond then revived the innings with an impressive 97-run partnership from 63 balls for the third wicket. The pair took control of the bowling before a spectacular one-handed catch from Zaida James ended Grimmond’s innings for 45 from 46 deliveries.
Campbelle continued to score freely and registered her second WCPL half-century. However, she departed shortly afterwards for a team-high 56 from just 33 balls.
Those dismissals triggered a Warriors collapse as Empress captain Stafanie Taylor and left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed two wickets each. The Warriors slipped from 104 for two to 114 for five, losing three wickets for only 10 runs in eight deliveries.
Tryon attempted to lift the total with an unbeaten 21 from 16 balls, but the Warriors lost their final five wickets for 22 runs and closed on 138 for seven.
Meg Lanning gave the Empress a fast start in reply, striking five boundaries in a brisk 31 from 21 deliveries. She was dismissed at the end of the fifth over with Jamaica comfortably placed on 48 for one.
A brief rain delay subsequently reduced the chase to 19 overs, and the Warriors fought back strongly by taking five wickets for just 16 runs during the middle overs.
Erin Burns and Shabnim Ismail led the Warriors’ bowling effort with two wickets each, placing Jamaica under severe pressure heading into the closing stages.
However, Henry held her nerve and delivered a stunning late assault, condemning the Warriors to defeat with her final-ball heroics.
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