BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Captain Stafanie Taylor produced an excellent all-round performance to fire West Indies Women to a seven-run win over Sri Lanka in their five-match series here yesterday.
The right-hander stroked a top score of 62 as the hosts rattled up 129 for four off their 20 overs, and then returned to snare three for 23 with her off-spin to limit the tourists to 122 for nine. West Indies lead the series 2-0 following their win on Tuesday, and will now head to Trinidad for the last three matches. Winning the toss and batting, West Indies flourished courtesy of two key partnerships, both anchored by Taylor who was leading the side for the second straight match in place of regular skipper Merissa Aguilleira. She put on 50 for the first wicket with Juliana Nero whose 29 came from 32 balls and included five fours. Taylor, playing with equal authority on either side of the wicket, faced just 49 balls and lashed six fours and lofted six over wide long-on. When Nero was bowled swinging across the line at left-arm spinner Chandima Gunaratne in the ninth over, West Indies slipped to 73 for three before Taylor put on a further 46 with Shemaine Campbelle who scored a breezy unbeaten 22 from 18 balls.
In Sri Lanka’s run chase, they lost both openers Prasadani Weerakkodi (6) and Yashodha Mendis (2) cheaply to plunge to nine for two in the fourth over. However, Deepika Rasangika and Inoka Galagedara added a run-a-ball 43 for the third wicket to revive the innings. While Rasangika top-scored with 39 from 42 balls, Galagedara scored 25 from 23 balls. Once Galagedara was run out in the 11th over, Rasangika posted 38 for the fifth wicket with Chamani Seneviratne who slammed 25 from 17 balls with three fours. However, Taylor claimed the first of her three wickets when she bowled danger woman Rasangika in the 17th over, setting the Windies on course for victory. Taylor was voted Player-of-the-Match.
