St. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Player-of-the-Match Hayley Matthews and fast bowler Shakera Selman turned in handy performances, as West Indies Women trounced Sri Lanka Women by 71 runs in the opening Twenty20 International here Thursday night.
Matthews stroked a run-a-ball 37 to propel the hosts to 140 for four off their 20 overs before Selman snatched two for six from three overs, to limit the Sri Lankans to 69 for seven off their quota of overs.
The contest proved a stroll for the reigning World champions, extending their dominance from their clean sweep of the one-day series in Trinidad last week.
Sent in at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Matthews spearheaded a 67-run, opening stand off 63 deliveries with captain Stafanie Taylor whose 31 came from 29 balls with three boundaries.
The right-handed Matthews had counted five fours when she was stumped in the 11th over off left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera who claimed two for 35.
Her dismissal sparked a slide which saw four wickets tumble for 39 runs in the space of 38 balls, as West Indies Women slipped to 106 for four in the 17th over.
Former captain Merissa Aguilleira then arrived to stroke a 19-ball unbeaten 22 while Britney Cooper struck a four and a six in 20 not out off 11 deliveries, as they provided a late flourish with an unbroken 34-run, fifth wicket stand.
Selman then shocked the Sri Lanka top order, removing openers Yasoda Mendis (0) and Chamari Atapattu (1) in successive overs, to reduce the tourists to nine for two in the third over.
Ama Kanchana tried to revive the innings with a top score of 17 off 21 balls but found little support, as no other batsman reached double figures.
Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed kept the pressure on with a pair of wickets from her four overs which cost 14 runs, while seamer Deandra Dottin stifled the middle order with a spell of one for six from three overs.
The second match is scheduled for the same venue at 6:30 pm today.
