Women's World T20: West Indies women scrape through to final
The West Indies women celebrate their six-run win over New Zealand in the semi-final on Thursday. (Photo: Asian Age)
The West Indies women celebrate their six-run win over New Zealand in the semi-final on Thursday. (Photo: Asian Age)
The West Indies broke the semi-final barrier in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20, defeating New Zealand by six runs at the Wankhede here on Thursday. They had lost thrice in the semis before. The Caribbean girls will now meet Australia in the final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
New Zealand women, who like their men’s team, had entered unbeaten into the knock-out faced the a similar fate like the men who were knocked off by England. Britney Cooper’s half century helped the West Indies post 143/6 on the board. Cooper made 61 in 48 balls and was involved in a 60-run partnership with skipper Stafanie Taylor 25 (26b, 2x4) for the second wicket to set up a challenging total.
New Zealand got starts from Sophie Divine 22 (14b, 4x4), Sara McGlashan 38 (30b, 2x4) and Amy Satterthwaite 24 (29b, 1x4) but none of them could carry on. Taylor (3/26) took three wickets towards the end including McGl-ashan and Satterthwaite in consecutive balls to kill the chase. They managed 137/8 in the end.
While batting, Taylor was sedate in her approach allowing her opening partner Hayley Mathews (16, 14b), to cut loose with two fours off Lea Tahuhu. But Mathews was trapped in front by left-arm spinner Morna Nielsen (1/14) to end the partnership of 18 runs.
Cooper came in and played her shots. Taylor holed out to Katie Perkins at mid on but Cooper found another good partner in Deandra Dottin 20 (17b, 2x4) to accelerate the scoring. She brought her half century with a six that pierced long on fielder’s fingers. She followed it with another big one straight over bowler Leigh Kasperek’s head. The right-handed batswoman also hit five fours. “Dottin always gets us those run outs. She is quick in the field, when she gets those run outs it brings whole team back in it,” said West Indies skipper Stafanie Taylor.
Scoreboard West Indies: H. Matthews lbw b Nielsen 16, S. Taylor c Perkins b Devine 25, B. Cooper c Priest b Devine 61, D. Dottin b Devine 20, S. King c Satterthwaite b Devine 4, M. Aguilleira (not out) 15, S. Campbelle (run out) 0. Extras (w2) 2. Total (for 6 wkts, in 20 overs) 143. FoW: 1-18, 2-78, 3-122, 4-125, 5-140, 6-143. Bowling: Nielsen 4-0-14-1, Tahuhu 2-0-21-0, Kasperek 3-0-30-0, Bermingham 3-0-24-0, Devine 4-0-22-4 (2w), Bates 2-0-21-0, Satterthwaite 2-0-11-0.
New Zealand: S. Bates c Quintyne b Fletcher 12, R. Priest b Connell 6, S. Devine (run out) 22, S. McGlashan c Campbelle b Taylor 38, A. Satterthwaite c Campbelle b Taylor 24, K. Martin (not out) 11, K. Perkins c Dottin b Quintyne 2, L. Kasperek st Aguilleira b Taylor 6, E. Bermingham (run out) 8. Extras (lb1, w6, nb1) 8. Total (for 8 wkts, in 20 overs) 137. FoW: 1-11, 2-43, 3-49, 4-108, 5-108, 6-116, 7-125, 8-137. Bowling: Connell 3-0-22-1 (2w), Dottin 4-0-29-0 (4w), Matthews 2-0-18-0 (1nb), Fletcher 4-0-20-1, Mohammed 1-0-10-0, Taylor 4-0-26-3, Quintyne 2-0-11-1.