… win by 112 runs and move ahead of Windies

ENGLAND Women produced a very professional performance and took a decisive 2-1 lead in the five-match series when they crushed their West Indian counterparts by 112 runs in the third One-Day International encounter at Sabina Park, Jamaica, yesterday.
With this emphatic victory, the English Women leap-frogged West Indies Women in the ICC Championship race with two vital points that pushed them ahead to second spot on 21 points.
England need two more victories to clinch one of the four qualifying spots for the ICC World Cup which will be staged in England next year.
Reigning World Cup champions Australia already cemented their place to defend their global 50-overs crown. They head the points standings on 30 and are waiting to see who would be the challengers for world supremacy.
West Indies remained on 20 points and dropped to third spot and must rebound quickly in the Fourth ODI which is carded for tomorrow at the same venue in Kingston.
England made 220 all out in 49.5 overs and skittled out West Indies for 108 off 35.4 overs to celebrate a convincing victory with 86 deliveries remaining of the one-sided contest.
England captain Heather Knight won the toss and decided that her team will bat first on a pitch that was much harder and faster than the one at Trelawny Multiplex ground which was not conducive to fluent strokeplay.
But West Indies grabbed the initiative with two early wickets through the accuracy of Shamilia Connell and Deandra Dottin who together picked up a wicket each to leave the visitors 24 for 2 after 7.4 overs.
Connell removed the prolific Tammy Beaumont (4 runs off 16 balls) who was caught by StacyAnn King at square leg from a sweep shot while Dottin bowled Georgia Elwiss for three (6 balls).
Lauren Whitefield, when on three, enjoyed a major slice of luck when WI captain Stafanie Taylor, at first slip position, dropped her off the bowling of Connell whose away swinger glanced off the edge and through the hands and legs when the score was 10 without loss.
Whitefield buckled down and played responsibly. She did not offer another chance until she and Natalie Sciver had restored England’s hope of a very big total. Together they posted a match-winning 95 runs for the third-wicket partnership and it broke the resolve of the West Indian team.
During the frustrating period, Sciver survived two very close shouts for lbw at 144 for 3 and a dropped chance at 155 for three.
With an off-spinning delivery, Hayley Matthews seemed to have struck Sciver between middle and leg, a decision that was turned down by umpire Nigel Duguid while Dottin also cannot believe that umpire Gregory Brathwaite thought otherwise when Sciver was once again playing across the line of a well-directed delivery that was slower and caught her straight on.
And to add further depressing energy, Afy Fletcher dropped Sciver who attempted a scoop shot when she was 38 and the score 155 for 3.
Dottin, however, kept charging in and she bowled Whitefield, behind her back; for 79 (4×4, 111 balls) and took the catch to dismiss Sciver for 58 (1×6, 3×4, 72 balls) off the bowling of Fletcher. Despite those wickets, there was no celebration from Dottin because England were in the driver’s set at 185 for 5 after 42.1 overs.
In their quest for quick runs, England lost their last five wickets for an addition of 35 runs off 7.5 overs. At the end, it did not matter.
West Indies batters wilted under severe pressure from the controlled aggression and probing accuracy of England’s new-ball bowlers, who revelled in the conditions. Katherine Brunt (5-1-11-1) dismissed openers Hayley Matthews, lbw for 5 runs off 19 balls) and while Jenny Gunn scalped Shaquana Quintyne, caught by Heather Knight for 21 (1×4 off 54 balls) and the score 35 for 2 in 13 overs.
Gunn then took the energy away from West Indies and any hope of revival for the team vanished when she bowled skipper Stafanie Taylor for nine (1×4, 19 balls) and left WI 47 for 3 after 16.2 overs.
Only Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle offered token resistance and finished with 20 (1×6, 2×4, 26 balls) and 18 runs (1×6, 27 balls) respectively, as the team folded up meekly for a paltry 108 in 35.4 overs.
Laura Marsh (2 for 31) and left-arm spinner Alexandra Hatley (2 for 25) were the other main wicket-takers.