PAARL, South Africa, CMC – West Indies’ hopes of landing an upset in their opening game of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup were dashed when powerhouses England brushed them aside by seven wickets at Boland Park here yesterday.
While their much maligned batting group managed to cobble together a decent 135 for seven from their 20 overs thanks to a top score of 42 from captain Hayley Matthews, the target proved insufficient for England who coasted over the line with 33 balls to spare.
Nat Sciver-Brunt led the chase with an unbeaten 40 from 30 deliveries in tandem with captain Heather Knight who stroked 32 not out off 22 balls, while Sophia Dunkley struck an 18-ball 34 at the top of the order.
The defeat for West Indies was the sixth straight to England and 14th on the trot overall, and they will now face 2020 T20 World Cup losing finalists, India, in their crucial second match on Wednesday.
“Out there batting in the middle, we spoke about [probably] getting 145, 150. I think we had a decent start, we probably weren’t able to capitalise at the end,” said Matthews.
“It’s the World Cup. Every match is very important but obviously this next one is very crucial after today.
“We definitely need to get some points on the board. We’ll go [away], reassess, take the really big positives out of today, look at what we can do a lot better and hopefully take it into that game.”
West Indies welcomed back former captain and leading batsman Stafanie Taylor for her first game in five months after recovering from injury and though she managed only three, helped add 47 off 38 deliveries for the first wicket with her successor Matthews.
However, Taylor soaked up 15 balls, resulting in her missing a frustrating cross-batted heave, and falling lbw to 23-year-old leg-spinner Sarah Glenn.
Matthews, who struck eight fours in her 32-ball knock, put on a further 22 for the second wicket with Shemaine Campbelle (34) before she was hit in front by another 23-year-old, left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, in the 11th over.
Campbell kept up the tempo, lashing four fours off 37 balls in a 41-ball fourth wicket stand with Chinelle Henry (14) before the innings fell away swiftly, West Indies losing both batsmen in the 17th over as four wickets tumbled for 18 runs in 17 deliveries.
In reply, England too enjoyed a flying start, Dunkley punching four fours and a six in a 37-run opening stand with Danni Wyatt (11) before perishing at the start of the sixth over, brilliantly taken by new ball seamer Chinelle Henry (2-30) on her follow through.
Nat Sciver-Brunt then took control of the chase, first in a 21-run, third wicket partnership with Alice Capsey (13) and then in a 67-run, unbroken fourth wicket stand with Knight.
Sciver-Brunt counted half-dozen fours and a six while Knight struck four fours and a six, both dominating the West Indies attack once Henry was withdrawn after three overs.