BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Experienced opener Pamela Lavine stroked a half-century but West Indies crashed to a 13-run defeat as England rebounded to square the three-match series yesterday.
Set 233 to win the second One-Day International at Warner Park, West Indies slipped from a position of 85 for two to 219 all out off 47.5 overs, losing their last eight wickets for 124 runs.
Lavine struck a handsome 57 from 91 balls with eight fours but her dismissal in the 27th over with the score on 85 triggered the collapse.
Thereafter, only captain Merissa Aguilleira with 44 from 71 balls and Deandra Dottin with a lower-order cameo of 29 from 11 balls, showed any resistance to an incisive display from the English bowlers.
Earlier, England reached 232 for five off their allotted 50 overs after winning the toss and batting.
Ebony-Jewel Rainford-Brent top scored with 72 from 116 balls while Jenny Gunn stroked 57 from 78 balls, to fuel England’s batting effort. Off-spinner Stafanie Taylor was the most successful West Indies bowler, grabbing three for 29 from 10 stingy overs.
Facing a tricky total, West Indies got off to the worst possible start when they lost the prolific opener Taylor for two to the fifth ball of the innings, with just two runs on the board.
Lavine was joined by Cordel Jack (13) and the pair added 66 for the second wicket but needed 114 balls to do so, and it left the Windies facing a tough asking rate.
The right-handed Lavine and Stacey-Ann King (7) fell in quick succession to leave the hosts struggling at 98 for four in the 30th over but the innings was revived by a 55-run, fifth wicket stand between Britney Cooper and Aguilleira.
Cooper scored 16 but fell lbw to England captain Charlotte Edwards who finished with two for 17 with her leg breaks.
Dottin, who hammered three fours and two fours in her whirlwind know, posted 30 for the sixth wicket with her captain but her dismissal sent the innings into terminal decline.
England’s total was earlier due to a 100-run, second wicket stand between Rainford-Brent and Gunn, after the visitors lost their first wicket at 29 in the 10th over.
Rainford-Brent struck seven fours and Gunn counted five and they paved the way for a healthy total, with Caroline Atkins chipping in with a busy unbeaten 44 from just 43 balls that included four fours.