LEICESTER, England, CMC – West Indies Women were bundled out for their second lowest-ever total in One-Day Internationals as their already troubled World Cup campaign took a turn for the worst with a demoralising 10-wicket defeat to South Africa Women here yesterday.
Asked to bat first at Grace Road, the Windies capitulated to 48 all out off just 25.2 overs – the sixth lowest total in a Women’s World Cup and the lowest in 20 years.
Chedean Nation, batting at number four, was the only player to reach double figures with 26 as the Caribbean side’s long batting line-up inexplicably fell apart in ideal conditions.
Leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk (4-0) and new ball seamer Marizanne Kapp (4-14) wrecked the innings with four wickets apiece while fast bowler Shabnim Ismail ended with two for 16.
In reply, Lizelle Lee stroked a cameo unbeaten 29 from just 16 balls as South Africa coasted to their target off a mere 38 deliveries, to post their second win and remain unbeaten from their three matches.
In contrast, West Indies have now lost all three games and are winless on tour after also losing all five of their warm-up fixtures.
The defeat was their second to the Proteas in 10 days following a similar meltdown in their official warm-up in Oakham when they were knocked over for 63.
Any hopes of making amends for that performance were quickly dashed as Kapp and Ismail produced a telling burst with the new ball to rip the heart out of the West Indies batting and leave the innings in strife at 16 for five in the eighth over.
Hayley Matthews, the most consistent Windies batsman so far, perished for four in the third over when she played back to one from Ismail that nipped back off the seam and was lbw with just four runs on the board.
Captain Stafanie Taylor lasted just 10 balls for her four before spectacularly losing her off-stump in the fifth over to one from Ismail that also came back.
Kapp then turned the game on its head with three wickets in her fourth over, the eighth of the innings, when she sent back debutant opener Reniece Boyce (4), Kyshona Knight (0) and Deandra Dottin (0) in quick succession.
The right-handed Boyce chipped a return catch to Kapp off the first ball over the over before Knight missed a straightish one on leg-stump and was lbw first ball.
Dottin then played all around a full length delivery, the fifth of the over, and had her leg-stump uprooted.
At this stage, West Indies were staring at an historic low but Nation and former skipper Merissa Aguilleira put on 22 for the sixth wicket to steer their side clear of that unwanted record.
Nation faced 53 balls and struck five fours – most of them streaky shots behind the wicket – while Aguilleira spent 38 balls over her three.
The partnership ended in the 20th over when Aguilleira missed an ill-advised sweep at van Niekerk and was bowled leg-stump and new batsman Shanel Daley followed without scoring in the leg-spinner’s next over, top-edging a sweep to short backward square.
Tottering on 42 for seven, there was no resistance from the Windies tail as Afy Fletcher was trapped on her crease and bowled by Kapp without scoring, Nation gifted her wicket by clipping a simple catch to short mid-wicket off van Niekerk before debutant Qiana Joseph was trapped lbw to van Niekerk also without bothering the scorers.
The Windies malaise extended into their fielding effort as Taylor then put down Lee at square leg and Anisa Mohammed let off Laura Wolvaardt (19 not out) at first slip off successive deliveries from Dottin in the third over.
Lee went on to stroke six fours in her knock while Wolvaardt counted three – the last of which was a delightful cover-drive off Dottin which took South Africa to victory.
West Indies will take on New Zealand on Thursday in Taunton.