BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Weak batting again crippled West Indies Women as they slumped to a nine-wicket defeat in the second Twenty20 International and to yet another series defeat to Australia Women here Monday night.
Sent in at Kensington Oval under lights following a rain delay, the hosts could only gather a paltry 97 for nine off their 20 overs with opener Britney Cooper top-scoring with 39.
In reply, opener Alyssa Healy continued her heavy scoring with an unbeaten 58 off 43 balls as the Aussies swept to victory with 33 balls to spare.
The visitors, who won the opening T20 International by six wickets last Saturday at the same venue, will now chase their second straight clean sweep in the final match carded for Wednesday.
Australia also swept the preceding three-match one-day series staged in Antigua.
Cooper gave West Indies a decent start, providing most of the early energy in a 30-run, opening stand off 33 balls with Kyshona Knight (6).
While Cooper struck six fours and a six in a 33-ball knock, Knight was not as fluent and her 12-ball stay at the crease ended in the sixth over when she skied fast bowler Delissa Kimmince to cover.
Her dismissal proved the trigger for a Windies collapse as they lost another six wickets for 17 runs to find themselves tottering on 64 for seven in the 14th over.
Captain Stafanie Taylor (6) looked to be building a strong second wicket stand with Cooper but perished in the ninth over, lofting 20-year-old leg-spinner Georgia Wareham to mid on.
Cooper and Natasha McLean (0) were both tragically run out in the 11th over and West Indies needed a 23-run eighth wicket stand between Chinelle Henry (21 not out) and Shabika Gajnabi (11) to get up to their eventual total.
In reply, the Aussies hardly broke a sweat as Healy powered the uncomplicated run chase with an innings containing 10 fours.
She dominated a 44-run, opening stand with Beth Mooney (8) before combining with captain Meg Lanning, who made 22 not out, to post another 54 in an unbroken second wicket stand.
