EAST LONDON, South Africa, CMC – Hayley Matthews and Britney Cooper fashioned half-centuries but it was Deandra Dottin’s five-wicket haul which undermined South Africa Women and fired West Indies Women to a 16-run victory in the opening One-Day International here yesterday.
top-scored with 56. (file photo)
Opting to bat first at Buffalo Park, the Caribbean side rattled up 214 for seven off their 50 overs with opener Matthews hitting 56 and middle order batsman Britney Cooper finishing unbeaten on 55.
Dottin laid the groundwork for her fine all-rounder performance with a busy 28 while Shemaine Campbell chipped in with 26.
Leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk (2-25), seamer Shabnim Ismail (2-40) and leg-spinner Sune Luus (2-50) were the main wicket takers.
In reply, the hosts were cruising at 82 for two in the 23rd over until Dottin intervened with a devastating spell of five for 34 to send the hosts crashing to 198 all out off 48.5 overs.
Marizanne Kapp stroked 69 not out, Trisha Chetty struck 47 and Shabnim Ismail chipped in with 34, but South Africa failed to recover from the damage done by Dottin.
Leg-spinner Shaquana Quintyne (2-15) and off-spinner Anisa Mohammed (2-36) both weighed in with crucial wickets.
The victory was not only vital for the series lead but it brought West Indies Women two vital points in the ICC Championship.
Matthews gave West Indies Women impetus at the top of the order, putting on 27 for the first wicket with Quintyne (18), 30 for the second wicket with captain Stafanie Taylor (13) and 56 for the third wicket with Dottin.
The 17-year-old Matthews faced 68 balls and counted eight fours while Dottin hit four fours in a 43-ball innings.
Both fell in the space of 11 deliveries to Luus as West Indies Women lost four wickets for 18 runs during the middle stage of the innings, to slip to 131 for five in the 31st over.
However, Cooper led the revival, lashing six fours and a six in an attractive 66-ball cameo. Cooper and Campbelle featured in a 48-run, sixth wicket stand.
Chetty then provided stability at the top of the order, putting on 33 for the first wicket with Laura Wolvaardt (10) and a further 33 for the third wicket with Kapp.
The veteran Chetty faced 67 balls and counted three fours while Kapp hammered four fours and a six off 63 deliveries.
Dottin started her rout when she bowled Chetty in the 23rd over and her dismissal triggered a slide where five wickets tumbled for 38 runs.
Tottering on 120 for seven in the 33rd over, Kapp and Ismail then hauled the hosts back into the contest with a brilliant 70-run stand before Quintyne claimed Ismail in the 48th over and Dottin quickly mopped up the last two wickets.
