LEEDS, England – West Indies Women dug deep to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Scotland Women and improve their chances of securing a semifinal berth in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with a thrilling seven-run victory, yesterday.
Firstly, veteran Stafanie Taylor used all her experience in a crucial, boundary laden knock of 47 off 19 balls that helped revive West Indies Women’s stuttering innings and get them up to 153 for six in their 20 overs after they were sent in to bat.
The Windies then defied a stubborn half century by opener Darcey Carter and a defiant knock by Ailsa Lister, to bowl out their opponents for 146 off the last ball of the match.
The result left them in second place in Group B with two wins from their two matches, trailing the also unbeaten England Women by net run rate.
A win for the Windies did not seem to be on the cards after Scotland had batted themselves in a strong position in their run chase.
Openers Carter and Katherine Fraser gave them a perfect start by blasting 51 runs off the first five overs.
However, captain Hayley Matthews brought the match back on even terms by bowling Fraser with the first ball of the sixth over and then having opposing skipper Kathryn Bryce caught two balls later for a duck to make the score 51 for two.
Sarah Bryce made just four before picking out Deandra Dottin at backward point off spinner Afy Fletcher and when Matthews returned the next over to trap Megan McColl lbw for one, Scotland were in dire trouble at 58 for four in the eighth over.
West Indies seemed headed for an easy victory when Fletcher dismissed Priyanaz Chatterji to make the score 74 for five in the 11th over.
But Carter and Lister brought Scotland back into the contest with a 58-run partnership for the sixth wicket that completely changed the complexion of the match.
During the stand, Carter, who battled a leg injury during her innings, brought up her 10th T20I half century off 53 balls.
Medium pacer Dottin started the 17th over in horrible fashion by bowling three wides, while Lister smashed her for two boundaries – the second of which saw her break down in tears.
After being consoled by her teammates, Dottin returned to concede a solitary run from her two final deliveries to leave Scotland needing 22 runs off the last 12 balls.
But Aaliyah Alleyne struck a crucial blow by dismissing Carter off the first ball of the penultimate over after she scored 59 off 62 balls, and followed up by grabbing the key wicket of Lister for 33 off 25 balls and Kirstie Gordon for a duck with the last two deliveries of the over to see Scotland slump to 137 for eight.
With 17 runs required off the last over, Qiana Joseph held her nerve to concede just 10 runs while also accounting for the wicket of Rachel Slater, with last batter Gabriella Fontenla being run out off the last ball.
Alleyne finished with 3-11 and is now tied for the most wickets in the tournament (7), Matthews took 3-19, while Fletcher supported with 2-16.
Earlier, the Windies needed the efforts of Taylor, who was named Player-of-the-Match, after their batters failed to build on promising starts.
Joseph made just 13 before being dismissed by Slater, Matthews scored a sluggish 14 off 22 balls, Dottin contributed 14 and Jahzara Claxton made 16 runs, with only Shemaine Campbelle, who scored 36 off 26 balls, putting up any real resistance.
The Windies were struggling at 85 for five following the loss of Chinelle Henry in the 15th over, when Taylor arrived at the crease.
She wasted little time in belting four fours and three sixes, and shared an unbroken partnership of 31 off 14 balls with Jannillea Glasgow that ultimately carried the Windies to a respectable total.
Fraser was Scotland’s best bowler with 2-34.
The West Indies’ next match will be against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Summarised Scores
WEST INDIES WOMEN 153-6 in 20 overs (Stafanie Taylor 47 not out, Shemaine Campbelle 36, Jahzara Claxton 16, Deandra Dottin 14, Hayley Matthews 14, Qiana Joseph 13; Katherine Fraser 2-34) vs SCOTLAND WOMEN 146 in 20 overs (Darcey Carter 59, Ailsa Lister 33, Katherine Fraser 20; Aaliyah Alleyne 3-11, Hayley Matthews 3-19, Afy Fletcher 2-16).
(CMC)
