England Women beat WI Women by 5 wickets in 5th ODI

… England move to 2nd spot in ICC Championship title race

By Brij Parasnath

AN enterprising half-century from all-rounder Natalie Sciver and penetrative bowling by left-arm spinner Alexandra Hartley proved enough for England Women to celebrate a comfortable five-wicket victory over West Indies Women in the fifth ODI contested at Sabina Park, Jamaica yesterday.Hartley’s guile and variations allowed the English team to restrict West Indies to 155 all out while Sciver smashed West Indian bowlers to all parts to remain undefeated on a brilliant 58, when they sealed victory with 67 balls remaining of the 50-overs-a-side battle for a series win.
With the victory, the English Women moved back ahead of their West Indian counterparts and are currently in second spot on 23 points in the ICC Championship title race.
West Indies started the series in second position but by virtue of losing the three-match series 2-1, finished in third spot with 22 points, two ahead of New Zealand. The first two matches of the just-concluded series did not count for Championship points. It was level 1-1 before the real battle for points and places in the ICC World Cup next year began in earnest at Sabina Park where England took an early lead by winning the first ODI.
And despite West Indies win in the second ODI when the English Women collapsed after they were off to a flying start and a 95-run first-wicket stand, the visitors kept their nerves and exhibited better discipline when their bowlers were bang on target and prevented the West Indies free-scoring batters from dominating the proceedings.
Too many West Indian players were dismissed to careless strokeplay and cross-batted shots. They offered catches that were spectacularly gobbled up in the outfield and brought about their demise, even when they got a decent start.
WI captain Stafanie Taylor was the only one who applied herself to the task and was determined to get a big score. She made a genuine impact with her third half-century of the series and topscored with 57 that included one six and two fours off 101 deliveries.
The 25-year-old featured in mini-partnerships of 21 for the second wicket with Hayley Matthews (22), 37 for the third wicket with Deandra Dottin (15) and 38 for the fifth wicket with Britney Cooper (23) and was the seventh person dismissed with the total at 137 for 7 in 42.3 overs.
Left-arm spinner Alexandra Hartley was England’s find for the series and she set a new record, destroying the West Indies middle-order to finish with an impressive analysis of 10-1-24-4 and carrying her series tally to 13 wickets.
And it was not surprising that she earned the nod to share the series ‘Most Valuable Player’ award with Stafanie Taylor.
Hartley was well supported by new-ball bowler Katherine Brunt who scalped three wickets for 35 runs from nine overs while skipper Heather Knight took two for 23 from 6.1 overs. Georgia Elwiss was the other wicket-taker with one for 11 from three overs.
Chasing 156 to win, England openers Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont posted 33 for the first wicket before Hayley Matthews dismissed the attacking Winfield who was caught by StacyAnn King for 12.
Knight joined Beaumont who continued her attacking role as they pushed the total to 56 for 2 when Afy Fletcher accepted a return catch from Beaumont who contributed a solid 34 that included two fours off 50 deliveries.
Knight found another useful partner in Natalie Sciver who dominated all the West Indian bowlers and piloted England to an impressive victory with 67 deliveries remaining.
Sciver top-scored for her team with an unbeaten 58 that was embellished with six delightful fours off 74 deliveries. She had lost Knight, caught wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira for 29, Dani Wyatt caught Britney Cooper by Mohammed for 12 and Elwiss, bowled by Dottin for five.
Wicketkeeper Amy Jones, who stumped Shaquana Quintyne off Brunt for one and StacyAnn King off the same bowler for 12, did the final honours of slamming Anisa Mohamed straight back over the infield for the winning boundary that sparked celebrations among the jubilant English team and their supporters, who will return home in high spirits, having conquered the West Indians at home in the Caribbean.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.