Dunedin: The West Indies slid past defending champions England seven times on Wednesday in a thrilling ICC Women’s World Cup league game here on Wednesday, leaving the tournament favorites in trouble.
First, despite an impressive opening score of 81 between veterans Deandra Dottin (31 from 64 balls) and Hayley Matthews (45 from 58 balls), the West Indian women batted a mediocre 225 for 6 in 50 overs after opting to play in their second league game.
Keeper batter Shemaine Campbell (66 off 80 balls) and Chedan Nation (49 off 74 balls) were the stars of the show as they added 123 runs for the fifth wicket to send the team over.
In response, England almost came through thanks to a 61-point tie between Sophie Ecclestone (33 no) and Kate Cross (27) for the ninth wicket before being all-out for 218 in 47.4 overs. This was the West Indies women’s first-ever World Cup win over England.
“It’s a nice feeling. But nerve-wracking for me. When we checked the stats on this ground we found we were about 10 under par. We knew we had to bowl well and field well,” West Indies captain Stefanie Taylor said in the post-match presentation.
The West Indies have now won both matches and are second on the points list, while England, with successive defeats including the opening round game against Australia, are sixth out of eight teams.
“They had an excellent start at the start and came right at us. We came back well with the ball, but struggled to break that partnership (Cambelle-Nation). Also given a few too many in the last overs. It’s clear there’s frustration,” said English skipper Heather Knight.
“Happy with our batters’ offensive intent, but we need to be more clinical in execution at crucial moments,” she added.
It was a steady start by the Caribbean women as Dottin and Matthews safely negotiated the first 20 overs before falling through slump to 81 for three from 81 for no loss and then 98 for 4 just after the half of the stage (26, 1 over).
Campbell, who won the ‘Player of the Match’ award, hit four boundaries while Nation had three to her name.
“There was some pressure when I went to bat, we had lost some quick wickets and I was trying to build a partnership. I gave myself a chance and played every ball on its merits. I knew that as long as I stayed in it, the points would come,” Campbell said after the game.
Despite Carisbrook Park being known for helping seamen, it was the slow orthodox left-armed Ecclestone (3/20 in 10 overs) who was brilliant in the middle overs and didn’t let the Windies batters escape.
When England batted their innings never had the momentum as they were 72 for four in one phase and then 156 for 8 at the end of the 36th before Ecclestone and Cross nearly carried them home with their highly effective partnership.
It came down to the last three overs and it looked like the duo would get the job done as England needed just nine runs to win and still had two wickets in hand.
But Cross was knocked out at the end of the non-rush hour when he backed too far and Anya Shrubsole was thrown three balls later by spinner Anisa Mohammed (2/24) to cause jubilant celebrations for the victorious West Indian side.
Pacer Shamilia Connell (3/38) was the most successful Windies bowler of the eight used by skipper Stephanie Taylor.
Short scores:
West Indies: 225/6 in 50 overs (Shemaine Campbell 66, Chedan Nation 49, Sophie Ecclestone 3/20) defeated England 218 all-out in 47.4 overs (Sophie Ecclestone 33 no, Anisa Mohammed 2/24, Shamilia Connell 3/38) with 7 runs.
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