– But Windies Women beaten by Australia
TAUNTON, England, CMC – West Indies Women got a rapid record-breaking half century from teenager Deandra Dottin but crashed to an eight-wicket defeat by Australia yesterday in their ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Championship match.
Electing to bat, West Indies posted 135 for eight off their 20 overs and could not prevent the Aussies from strolling to victory at 136 for two in 17.2 overs, handing the Caribbean side back-to-back defeats in Pool A.
Promoted the opening slot, Dottin blasted fifty off 22 balls, the fastest fifty ever in Women’s T20 cricket.
She top-scored with 53 but had little support otherwise and the West Indies, who lost to New Zealand on Saturday, were outplayed as the Australians who rebounded well from their loss to the Kiwis on Friday.
The versatile Dottin, a former CARIFTA Games shot put, javelin and discus champion, thumped nine fours and one six and scored at an amazing rate of better than two runs per ball in an innings from the 17-year-old that threatened to hand the Aussies their second consecutive loss.
Dottin’s prolific opening partner Stafanie Taylor was run out for 13 after they posted exactly 50 for the first wicket.
Cordel Jack, on her Twenty20 International debut, got the second highest score of 24 and Stacy-Ann King (11) was the only other player to get to double figures.
Pacer Sarah Andrews (2-19) and off-spinner Lisa Sthalekar (2-23) were the chief wicket-takers for Australia, who then marched to victory with 16 balls to spare.
Opener Shelley Nitschke set the pace with 56 off 38 balls, smashing nine fours and a six.
She was eventually run-out by Jack, who had bowled Nitschke’s opening partner Leah Poulton for eight.
Lisa Sthalekar, with 34 not out, and Rene Farrell (31 not out) completed the victory with an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 53.
Jack was the only successful bowler for West Indies Women with one for 29 off four overs although her off-spin partner Taylor was the most economical with none for 19 off four overs.
The result pushed the Aussies to second spot on two points behind leaders New Zealand (4) in Pool A.
Australia’s net run-rate of -0.274 is superior to the West Indies Women (-0.1.137). West Indies also have two points but have completed their first-round schedule.
In the day’s other match, Claire Taylor cracked an unbeaten 75 and led World Cup champions England to a 71-run victory over Sri Lanka to move to the top of the Pool B standings with maximum four points.