BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Teenager Deandra Dottin blasted the first ever century in Women’s Twenty20 Internationals, as she propelled West Indies to a 17-run win over South Africa in the opening match of the World T20 Championship here yesterday.
In a stunning display of power-hitting, Dottin smashed six fours and nine sixes to power her way to an astonishing unbeaten 112 from a mere 43 balls, an innings that pushed the Windies women up to 175 for five off their 20 overs.
In reply, South Africa got a half-century from Shandre Fritz but could only muster 158 for four from their allotted overs.
However, it was Dottin’s innings that created all the drama at Warner Park. Striding to the wicket with West Indies in a spot of bother at 52 for four in the 10th over, the 18-year-old Dottin put the Proteas bowling to the sword in a breathtaking display of stroke-play.
The right-hander carved out her first fifty from 25 balls with three fours and three sixes and then sped to her second fifty from a stunning 13 balls, adding another four and six sixes.
“After we lost two quick wickets, the plan was that Shanel (Daley) and I would pick up singles and hit every bad ball,” Dottin said afterward.
“However, when I saw that the overs were slipping away from us I decided to go after everything, it was either do-or-die.”
She dominated a 118-run, fifth wicket partnership with Daley before she was run out off the second ball of the final over with the Windies 170 for five.
Her efforts were needed after South Africa got the better of the early exchanges after asking West Indies to bat first.
Sixteen-year-old left-arm fast bowler Chloe Tryon struck twice in the second over, removing prolific opener Stafanie Taylor for one with the score on seven and sending back Cordel Jack for four with the score on 12.
Opener Juliana Nero, who stroked 28 from 29 balls, added 37 for the third wicket with Britney Cooper (14) but both fell in successive overs in the space of three runs, to leave the Proteas on top.
In their run chase, South Africa lost Trisha Chetty for eight at 27 for one in the fifth over but Fritz and captain Cri-Zelda Brits staged a dangerous 84-run stand off 64 balls for the second wicket to send worries through the Windies camp.
Fritz stroked 58 with three fours and a six off 52 balls while Brits’ 43 required just 29 balls and included two fours and sixes.
However, when both fell via the run out route in the space of two balls in the 16th over, West Indies were right back in the contest and they held their nerve despite Mignon Du Preez’s cameo 13-ball, unbeaten 22.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES
S Taylor c Smith b Tryon 1
J Nero st Chetty b van der Westhuizen 28
C Jack c van der Westhuizen b Tryon 4
B Cooper c van der Westhuizen b Taai 14
S Daley run out 10
D Dottin not out 112
S King not out 1
Extras (b1, lb1, w3) 5
TOTAL (5 wkts, 20 overs)
Did not bat: *M Aguilleira, P Lavine, +S Campbelle, A Mohammed.
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-12, 3-49, 4-52, 5-170.
Bowling: Ismail 4-0-26-0, Tryon 3-0-28-2, Benade 1-0-10-0, Taai 4-0-29-1, van der Westhuizen 4-0-44-1, Van Niekerk 2-0-18-0, Smith 2-0-18-0.
SOUTH AFRICA
A Fritz run out 58
+T Chetty c wkpr Aguilleira b Lavine 8
*C Brits run out 43
S Benade c Cooper b Dottin 14
M Du Preez not out 22
A Taai not out 5
Extras (lb4, w3, nb1) 8
TOTAL (4 wkts, 20 overs) 158
Did not bat: S Fritz, C van der Westhuizen, A Smith, S Ismail, D Van Niekerk.
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-111, 3-112, 4-141.
Bowling: Taylor 3-0-14-0, Daley 3-0-33-0, Lavine 2-0-14-1, Jack 1-0-9-0, Mohammed 3-0-19-0, Campbelle 4-0-33-0, King 1-0-12-0, Dottin 3-0-20-1.
Result: West Indies won by 17 runs.
Points: West Indies 2, South Africa 0.
Player-of-the-Match: Deandra Dottin.
Toss: South Africa.
Umpires: Asoka DaSilva, Rod Tucker; TV – Shavir Tarapore.
Matchreferee: Andy Pycroft.
