DERBY, England, CMC – A docile West Indies Women lay on the brink of a third straight series whitewash in Twenty20 Internationals when they limped to a 44-run defeat to England Women in the fourth game of the five-match rubber here yesterday.
In a low-key affair at the County Ground, the Caribbean side once again produced a lacklustre run chase and never once threatened their target of 167, suffering their fourth straight defeat in the series and their 12th in as many outings.
Last November, they suffered a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of India Women in the Caribbean to follow on from their 3-0 defeat to Australia Women two months earlier.
West Indies’ best period of the game came over the first 10 overs, after England opted to bat but then found themselves stalling at 54 for three at the half-way point.
Fast bowler Aaliyah Alleyne, the visitors’ best bowler with two for 25 from her four overs, claimed Danni Wyatt without scoring in the second over and Natalie Sciver for six in the fourth as England slipped to 22 for two.
When the dangerous Tammi Beaumont missed a sweep at the first ball of off-spinner Karishma Ramharack’s spell and was lbw for 27, England were struggling at 45 for three in the ninth.
The turning point came at the start of the next over when Amy Jones, on two, tugged off-spinner Stafanie Taylor to short mid-wicket where Lee-Ann Kirby put down a sitter.
Jones cashed in to top score with 55 off 37 balls, striking five fours and two sixes before she was run out in the last over.
She put on 65 for the fourth wicket with captain Heather Knight who made 42 off 30 balls and a further 49 for the sixth with Katherine Brunt (25 not out).
In reply, once the series leading scorer Deandra Dottin was bowled by seamer Brunt (2-21) off the fourth ball of the innings for four, the Windies always faced an uphill battle and eventually declined to 122 for nine off their 20 overs.
Only Chedean Nation with 30 off 25 balls, provided any resistance as England easily controlled the run chase.
Pacer Sciver bowled Kirby for four in the third and left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone trapped Shemaine Campbelle lbw for 11 in the fifth over, leaving West Indies Women reeling on 35 for three.
Captain Taylor (13) and the out-of-form Hayley Matthews (11) tried to rebuild in a 24-run, fourth wicket stand before leg-spinner Sarah Glenn (2-15) removed both and Nation posted 38 off 32 balls for the sixth wicket with Alleyne (15) but by then the game was long gone.