By BRIJ PARASNATH

SUPERB batting by West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor, coupled with amazing bowling performances by ebullient all-rounder Deandra Dottin and leg-spinner Amy Fletcher, stunned their English counterparts and registered a seansational 38-run victory in the second One-Day International contested at the Trelawny Multiplex Stadium, Florence Hall, Jamaica yesterday.
Taylor led by example and rallied her side to 148 all out in 50 overs. England were well placed at 92 for 3 after 35 overs and required an additional 56 runs from 15 overs to clinch victory and hold a decisive 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
But Dottin and Fletcher changed the whole complexion of the game and with their incisive bowling spells that left the English women shell-shocked. They will take some time to recover from the batting debacle that saw them catapult like nine pins in a bowling alley. In fact, they lost seven wickets for 17 runs but, unbelievably, their last six fell for only three runs
It probably was their worst-ever meltdown in an international fixture. Grenadian Fletcher started the destruction when she forced the obdurate England captain, Heather Knight; to offer a catch to Evra Giddings at the long-leg position from an attempted pull shot after she had faced 66 deliveries previously.
She did not hit a boundary but had revived England’s victory chase with a composed innings that yielded 37 runs with Natalie Sciver, who also became the very next victim for Fletcher, who also claimed Danielle Wyatt (lbw for 7) and finished with three wickets for 19 runs from her impressive ten-over spell.
Sciver made one more than her captain and counted 43 deliveries for her 27 when she took her exit at 107 for 5 after 36.5 overs.
But there was still an outside chance that England could still chase down the 149-run target which was one more than the first ODI target for the West Indies team that faltered and lost by five runs in a thrilling finish.
However, there was no highpoint or consolation for the touring English women as Dottin knocked out the lower order in dramatic fashion and sparked West Indies to a miraculous victory.
The 25-year-old medium pacer scalped three wickets in her sixth over and 40th of the innings. The right arm medium pacer raced in with intent and deadly accuracy to trap Katherine Brunt (1) via lbw route with her first delivery and followed up with two wickets off the fifth and sixth. With the adrenaline following, she bowled Laura Marsh for zero and immediately forced newcomer Sophie Ecclestone to nibble to wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle who made no mistake behind the stumps with the next delivery.
Dottin celebrated in fine style with those brutal strikes that made a negative impact to the English women’s mental awareness and optimism of holding on to their lead for the final three matches.
Three wickets off six balls without a run scored and the inevitable result was not too far away. West Indian players were over-delighted and gathered immense energy and power for the third ODIs as Dottin sealed a remarkable victory when she prised out Amy Jones, lbw for 1; with the fourth delivery of her seventh over and the 42nd of England’s innings.
Guyanese medium pacer Evra Giddings started the demolition job with the removal of opener Lauren Whitfield, lbw for 2 while Taylor castled Tammy Beaumont for 19 (2×4, 39 balls). Giddings (4-1-7-1), Taylor (5-1-7-1) and Anisa Mohammed (7-0-21-1) shared the other wickets that brought about the demise of the England Women.
Earlier, when West Indies batted, openers Shaquana Quintyne and Hayley Matthews contributed 15 each and after a promising start, West Indies were 35 for 2 in 13.2 overs following their dismissals.
However, Taylor and Dottin shared a 37-run third-wicket stand before left-arm spinner Alexandra Hartley outfoxed Dottin and had her lbw for 21 (1×4, 46 balls).
Hartley continued her impressive performances and collected three more vital wickets to finish with 4 for 31 from 10 overs.
Playing her 92nd career ODI, Taylor continued to defy the English bowlers and notched her 24th career fifty before she was deceived by a slower ball from England Women new-ball bowler Katherine Brunt and offered a straightforward catch to Laura Marsh at mid-on.
She topscored with 56 that included four fours off 86 deliveries and also featured in a 35-run sixth-wicket partnership with StacyAnn King (14) that allowed the West Indies team to be better placed at 124 for 6 when she was dismissed for 56.
Fletcher also contributed with the bat and made 14 to help WI reach 148, which proved more than enough to celebrate a famous victory over the much-vaunted England team.