The West Indies Women put on an all-round display to clinch victory by 7 runs against the 3rd ranked England Women to win their second consecutive match against a higher ranked team at the ICC Women’s World Cup on Wednesday. West Indies won the toss on an overcast morning and elected to take first strike after skipper Stafanie Taylor assessed the pitch to be good for batting. Retaining the winning team from the tournament’s opening game, last-over hero Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews opened the innings. Dottin suffered a scare first ball as she was dropped off a leading edge by Lauren Winfield-Hill as the English bowlers found swing early, and Matthews also benefitted from a drop-catch in the 6th over when she was on 5. The openers soon settled and runs began to flow with Dottin and Matthews striking the ball cleanly, hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes all around the ground on their way to their 50-run partnership inside 10 overs. Shortly after, Matthews again would benefit from another chance after Kate Cross dropped a regulation caught and bowled opportunity.
However, luck ran out for the batters as West Indies suffered a triple blow in the 21st over when the off-spin of Sophie Ecclestone broke the opening stand accounting for Matthews caught at third man for 45. Three balls later Dottin was run out for 31 by a direct hit from Dani Wyatt while attempting a suicidal single. Captain Taylor entered hoping to repair the damage, but it was not to be this time. Ecclestone delivered a beauty of a delivery that just kissed the gloves and Taylor was caught behind for a first-ball duck. From 81 for no wicket, the team went to 81 for 3. Kycia Knight’s stay at the wicket was short-lived as she was caught at short cover for 6 trying to accelerate the scoring.
West Indies laboured to 100 in the 28th over with two new batters at the crease – Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation – as England’s bowlers continued to pile on the pressure, even with their fielders dropping catches in the field. The pair batted carefully and accelerated the scoring from the 45th over with a variety of flicks and pull-shots. The pair saw the West Indies to 200 in the 48th over with Campbelle getting to a well-deserved 50 in 70 balls. The pair put on the highest partnership of the innings (123) before Campbelle fell to Nat Sciver for a well-played 66 which formed the bone of the West Indian recovery. Nation batted on to the end of the innings and reached one short of a half-century, but with enough runs to ensure the West Indies would have something to defend. The Maroon Warriors ended the innings on 225 for 6 – only their second highest total ever against England. Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3 for 20 from her 10 overs.
England began their reply under sunny conditions in a watchful manner, benefitting from a few early wides and a couple of reprieves. Opening bowlers Shamilia Connell and Chenelle Henry soon found their rhythm and kept the runs under control in the Power Play ensuring England would only achieve one boundary in the first 10 overs. Connell got the breakthrough for West Indies dismissing Winfield-Hill courtesy a stunning left-handed catch at point by Dottin who literally plucked the ball out of the air reminiscent of ace South African fielder Jonty Rhodes. Captain Heather Knight was next to go for 5 a couple overs later when a review for a stumping was sent upstairs – only to find out via Ultraedge that she had actually nicked the ball through to the wicket-keeper off Hayley Matthews. Matthews then struck again accounting for Nat Sciver for just 2. Wicket-keeper Amy Jones was in next but fell to Alleyne after a short stay at the crease. With opener Tammy Beaumont still in, West Indies might have been worried she would take the game deep. However, veteran spinner Anisa Mohammed claimed the prized wicket as she had Beaumont trapped LBW for 46. Dani Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley then dug in and put on a quick 50-run partnership to steady the innings again, but an excellent delivery combined with an unorthodox straight mid-wicket position sent Dunkley back to the players’ arena caught for 38. Two balls later, Connell got rid of the other set batter Wyatt for 33 after Henry took a difficult over-the-shoulder catch at mid-off. Another two balls later, experienced Katherine Brunt would also fall to Connell with England needing 70 from 15 overs – less than a run a ball.
Ecclestone and Cross put on a valuable 9th wicket partnership worth 61 runs off 75 but vice-captain Mohammed offered another twist in the tail as she effected a run out at the non-striker’s end after spilling a caught and bowled chance. Anya Shrubsole was left to achieve 8 from 17 with Ecclestone, but Mohammed cleaned up Shrubsole as she advanced down the pitch and yorked herself. The West Indies again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat beating a team that had only a few days ago scored almost 300 runs, and also defeating them for the first time ever in a World Cup tournament. The West Indies Women play India next on Friday 11 March at 9:00 pm local time.
West Indies Women 225/6 (50 overs)
Chenelle Henry 66 (80)
Chedean Nation 49 (74)
Hayley Matthews 45 (58)
Sophia Ecclestone 3-20 (10 overs)
Nat Sciver 1-49 (8 overs)
England Women 218 all out (47.4 overs)
Tammy Beaumont 46 (76)
Sophia Dunkley 38 (35)
Shamilia Connell 3-38 (10 overs)
Hayley Matthews 2-40 (10 overs)
Anisa Mohammed 2-24 (4.4 overs)
Player of the Match: Shemaine Campbelle
Congratulations on the second win, well deserved. The team is building in confidence and it is hoped that winning becomes a habit.