ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – West Indies Women beat South Africa Women by 22 runs in the fifth and final One-Day International here yesterday, to complete a remarkable comeback and ensure a 2-2 tie in the series.
Sent in at Windsor Park, the Windies rallied to 177 for eight off their 50 overs thanks to a fabulous century stand between world rated opener Stafanie Taylor who top scored with 76, and Shemaine Campbelle who got 47.
Nineteen-year-old leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk claimed three for 31 while 18-year-old left-arm seamer Chloe Tryon finished with two for 28.
When South Africa batted, they lost early wickets and were dismissed for 155 off 46.3 overs as medium pacer Shakera Selman (2-14), fast bowler Campbelle (2-28) and teenaged leg-spinner Shaquana Quintyne (2-34) all picked up two wickets apiece.
Marizanne Kapp hit a top score of 40, Cri-zelda Brits got 35 while Mignon de Preez chipped in with 25.
The victory completed a superb comeback for the home team after they lost the two opening ODIs in St Kitts to fall behind in the series. They won the third match at Windsor Park last Saturday with the fourth encounter on Sunday abandoned as a no-result due to rain.
With Tuesday’s encounter the virtual series decider, West Indies started shakily, losing Kycia Knight cheaply for seven to hand the Proteas the early advantage.
However, Taylor and Campbelle combined in a fantastic stand of 117 which pulled West Indies around from a shaky position of 12 for one in the fourth over.
Taylor faced 107 balls and struck four fours while Campbelle lasted 93 balls at the crease and counted three boundaries. Once they were separated in the 34th over, however, the innings lost its way with the last nine wickets falling for 46 runs.
West Indies then struck early, removing openers Trisha Chetty (9) and Sarannats Cordes (11) to leave South Africa on 25 for two in the eighth over.
Kapp then anchored two key partnerships, putting on 42 for the third wicket with du Preez and a further 31 with Brits for the fourth wicket.
Brits held the lower order together but was the last wicket to fall with South Africa short of their target.
The two teams will now turn their attention to the two-match Twenty20 series in St Lucia next weekend.
