EAST LONDON, South Africa, CMC – West Indies Women’s team’s depressing losing streak showed no signs of ending as the luckless Caribbean side crashed to a 10-wicket defeat to South Africa Women in the third match of the Twenty20 International Tri-Series here yesterday.
Not for the first time, West Indies Women’s batting lacked verve and they could only muster an inadequate 97 for six off their 20 overs, after choosing to bat first at Buffalo Park.
Captain Hayley Matthews top-scored with 34 from 26 balls while Shabika Gajnabi struck 33 from 34 deliveries in support.
South Africa Women hardly broke a sweat in reply, chasing down their target in the 14th over with Player-of-the-Match Tazmin Brits top-scoring with an unbeaten 50 from 43 deliveries and Laura Wolvaardt stroking 42 not out from 39 balls.
The defeat was the eighth on the trot in T20 Internationals for West Indies dating back to their 5-0 whitewash at the hands of England Women in the Caribbean last month.
“It wasn’t a good performance. We didn’t bat well when we batted the first time, not getting what would’ve been a target we were aiming for,” said a dejected head coach Courtney Walsh.
“[We] had a very, very slow start and didn’t pick up any momentum from there until the captain Hayley and Gajnabi put together a partnership. This wasn’t good enough.
“It started a bit too late so that tone was set and then South Africa knocked the runs off without losing a wicket. [We were] completely outplayed today.”
Seamer Tumi Sekhukhune (2-24) struck twice to reduce West Indies Women to 29 for four in the 11th over, giving South Africa Women early control of the encounter.
Rashada Williams holed out to mid-off for one with as many on the board in the second over from 22-year-old left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba while Shemaine Campbelle was run out for one by Chloe Tryon’s direct hit at the striker’s end in the fifth over.
When Sekhukhune knocked over Sheneta Grimmond (5) and Britney Cooper (10) in successive overs, West Indies Women were faltering but Matthews and Gajnabi combined in a 61-run, fifth wicket stand to rescue the innings.
Matthews, again batting down the order at number six, counted five fours while Gajnabi, at number five, struck four fours.
They both perished in the final over, however, as West Indies Women’s innings limped to a tame end. There were no upsets in the making as the 32-year-old Brits lashed seven four and a six and the elegant 23-year-old right-hander, half-dozen fours, as South Africa Women coasted.
West Indies Women play their final game of the Tri-Series against India Women next Monday.
