CAYON, St Kitts, CMC – Teenaged opener Stafanie Taylor stroked a fine, unbeaten half-century as West Indies women sealed their three-match Twenty20 International series with a three-wicket victory in the second match yesterday.
The 18-year-old Jamaican stroked 54 from 45 balls to propel the hosts to 124 for seven with three balls remaining, in response to Sri Lanka’s 120 for nine after they won the toss and batted at St Mary’s Park.
The victory was the second straight win for the Windies lasses following on from Wednesday’s first T20I and it came as they continued a smooth build-up to the World Twenty20 Championship which bowls off next Friday.
Things could have gone very differently after West Indies plunged to 25 for five in their run chase but Taylor maturely anchored two crucial partnerships to steer her side home.
The right-hander, who cracked five fours and a six, posted 44 for the sixth wicket with Shanel Daley who stroked 19 from 21 balls, to halt the slide of wickets.
When Daley fell after striking two boundaries, Taylor added another 51 from 41 balls for the seventh wicket with captain Merissa Aguilleira, a partnership which sealed the match for the Windies.
The right-handed Aguilleira hammered a cameo 26 from 23 balls and when she departed bowled by medium-pacer Chamani Seneviratna, the scores were level.
Taylor was voted Man-of-the-Match for the second straight match following her even 50 in the first T20I.
Earlier, off-spinner Anisa Mohammed grabbed four for 26 as Sri Lanka stumbled and stuttered to their eventual score.
She ripped through the middle and lower order after Dedunu DaSilva (36) and Chamari Attapttu (17) added 58 for the first wicket.
DaSilva stroked four fours off 32 balls but no other batsman impressed.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka
D DaSilva c Dottin b Daley 36
C Attapttu run out Aguilleira 17
S Siriwardene b Dottin 16
S Galagedara b Jack 13
*C Seneviratna c Taylor b Mohammed 0
E Lokusooriya b Mohammed 0
D Rasangika c Daley b Taylor 5
+D Manodara c Jack b Mohammed 8
S de Alwis st Campbelle b Mohammed 2
S Weerakkody not out 9
U Prabodani not out 1
Extras (b1, lb1, w11) 13
TOTAL (9 wkts, 20 overs) 120
Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-59, 3-60, 4-85, 5-95, 6-91, 7-100, 8-103, 9-115
Bowling: Small 3-0-15-0, Taylor 3-0-17-1, Lavine 1-0-13-0, Daley 4-0-11-1, Dottin 4-0-24-1, Jack 2-0-12-1, Mohammed 3-0-26-4.
West Indies
D Dottin b Weerakkody 4
*S Taylor not out 54
P Lavine lbw b Prabodani 5
C Jack run out 0
B Cooper c Attapttu b Lokusooriya 5
S King b Prabodani 0
S Daley c Seneviratna b Weerakoody 19
+M Aguilleira b Siriwardene 26
D Small not out 4
Extras (w5, nb2) 7
TOTAL (7 wkts, 20 overs) 124
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-19, 3-19, 4-25, 5-25, 6-69, 7-120
Bowling: Weerakkody 4-0-23-2, Prabodani 4-1-18-2, Lokusooriya 4-0-15-1, de Alwis 2-0-13-0, Siriwardene 3.3-0-31-1, Seneviratna 1-0-19-0, Attapttu 1-0-5-0.
Result: West Indies won by three wickets.
