-Daley, Mohammed take WI home in cliff-hanger
ST. PAUL’S, St. Kitts, CMC – An unbroken 41-run stand for the ninth wicket between Shanel Daley and Anisa Mohammed let West Indies Women draw first blood in their One-day series with a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women in a cliff-hanger on Sunday.
Daley hit two fours in the top score of 23 not out from 28 balls, and Mohammed made 15 not out from 27 balls, as the Windies Women, chasing 130 for victory from their allocation of 33 overs, reached their target with three balls to spare in the rain-affected opening match of the series at St. Paul’s Recreation Ground.
Mohammed formalised the result, when she lofted Udeshika Prabodani straight for two runs and coupled with her economical, if not penetrative bowling earned the Player-of-the-Match award.
The Windies Women had restricted the Sri Lankans to 129 for eight from 33 overs, after rain delayed the start by an hour-and-a-half, and the hosts won the toss.
But West Indies did not start their chase well, losing key batter Stafanie Taylor for six, and were soon in the hole on 47 for four.
Cordel Jack then scored 20 and Stacy-Ann King made 16 to revive the innings with a stand of 35 for the fifth wicket before things spun out of control again.
The Windies Women collapsed from 82 for four to 92 for eight, but Mohammed joined Daley, daughter of former Jamaica all-rounder Aaron Daley, and they carried the home team over the threshold.
Earlier, Danielle Small collected two wickets for 18 runs from five overs, and Shakera Selman two for 24 from four overs, as the Windies Women put the visitors under early pressure.
The home team reduced Sri Lanka Women to 33 for four, but Eshani Lokusuriya hit three fours and one six in the top score of 32 from 49 balls to give her side a boost in the closing overs.
The two teams will play a second 50 overs-a-side match today at Warner Park. Tomorrow the teams will commence the Twenty20 practice matches, with two more to follow on Friday and Saturday. All the practices matches are scheduled to be held at the St. Mary’s Park.
Both sides are using the matches to fine-tune their preparations for the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup, which opens on May 5 in the Caribbean.
West Indies are drawn in Group-A of the competition, alongside World T20 champions England, as well as Australia, and South Africa.
Sri Lanka has been placed in Group-B with 2009 runners-up New Zealand, as well as fellow Asian sides India and Pakistan.