POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, CMC – West Indies Women Rising Stars finished their campaign at the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s Twenty20 World Cup with a heavy defeat, when England whipped them by 95 runs.
In their final Super6 game at Senwes Park here yesterday, the Caribbean unit found a target of 180 a mountain too high to climb, and stuttered to 84 for eight off their 20 overs.
Middle order batsman Djenaba Joseph was the stand-out, punching an unbeaten 44 from 42 deliveries with half-dozen fours but she was the only one to pass 20 as Player-of-the-Match, fast bowler Ellie Anderson, scythed through the innings to finish with five for 12.
The defeat was the third on the trot for the Rising Stars, coming on the back of a strong start to the group stage when they won their opening two matches.
“It definitely didn’t end how we wanted it to but I definitely enjoyed South Africa and the tournament was exceptional,” said West Indies Women Under-19s captain, Ashmini Munisar.
“For me and my teammates, we thought that it was an invaluable experience coming here to the first ever [Under-19 Women’s] World Cup and being pioneers.” Choosing to bat first, England benefited from a top score of 53 from their captain Grace Scrivens, the left-hander punching five fours and two sixes in a 44-run opening stand with Liberty Heap (13) and then in a 56-run, second wicket stand with Niamh Holland (21).
West Indies’ finest period came when they snatched three wickets for 31 runs in the space of 23 balls to reduce the English to 131 for four in the 16th over, Munisar (2-32) striking twice with her off-spin.
However, Charis Pavely smacked a 16-ball unbeaten 29 and Seren Smale, a 19-ball unbeaten 28, in a robust unbroken 48-run, sixth wicket stand to revive the innings.
Left-arm seamer Alexa Stonehouse (2-15) then struck twice early on to reduce West Indies to 23 for four at the end of the seventh over, effectively crushing their hopes of a serious challenge. Joseph propped up the innings in a 47-run, fifth wicket stand with Asabi Callender (17) but by the time the latter perished at the end of the 16th over, the required run rate had climbed to 27 and an English victory was assured.
