Windies Women inch closer to series whitewash

The West Indies women’s cricket team continues to find the going tough on their England tour as they succumbed to the hosts by 44 runs in the fourth Twenty20 (T20) International at the Incora County Ground in Derby yesterday.

The regional side was once again totally outplayed by their English counterparts as the Windies, for the fourth straight time, failed to chase down England’s total.

England decided to take the first strike and posted their highest total of the series so far, registering 166 for six in their 20 overs. The Windies were only able to limp to 122 for nine.

It wasn’t the best of starts for the England side with the bat, as medium-pacer Aaliyah Alleyne rocked their top order, claiming the first two wickets for just 22 runs in the fourth over.

The Barbadian found a good line and length outside off stump and found the edge of both Danny Wyatt and Natalie Sciver, who were both caught behind for nought and six, respectively.

The Windies had opted for three changes to the team from the third T20, and it was one of the newcomers, Karishma Ramharack, who picked up the crucial wicket of opener Tammy Beaumont, who was trapped in front for 27 to leave the home side in a spot of bother at 45 for three in the ninth over.

As it was in the previous contest, the Windies let England off the hook in the middle to latter overs, as England capitalised to post 112 runs in the last 10 overs.

That charge was led by wicketkeeper-batter Amy Jones who made a brilliant 55 from 37 balls. Jones benefited from an early chance, as she was put down by Lee-Ann Kirby at midwicket off Stafanie Taylor when she was just on two runs.

Well-Played 42

Jones and captain Heather Knight put on 65 runs for the fourth wicket with Knight contributing a well-played 42.

Katherine Brunt also blasted a quick 25 not out from 17 balls as England got over the 160 mark for the first time in the series.

With the required rate well over eight runs, the Windies had to get off to a blistering start to even get close to the chasing total. However, that good start was short-lived as the tournaments leading run-scorer, Deandra Dottin, failed for the first time in the series.

The right-hander was bowled by Brunt with the third delivery of the match for four to set the West Indies behind the eight-ball from the get-go.

With Dottin out of the way, the English bowlers went in for the kill and they removed Kirby for four, Shemaine Campbelle for 11 and captain Taylor for 13 to leave the Windies in tatters at 59 for four in the 10th over.

Chadean Nation rode her luck to get to 30 from 25 balls as she and Alleyne put on 38 runs for the sixth wicket before the latter was run out for 15.

Nation was also run out with two overs to go and that pretty much ended the visitors’ resistance well short of the target.

Once again, it was another disappointing performance with the bat for the regional girls as Taylor lamented the failure of the team to execute when it matters most.

“It’s pretty much bowling and batting,” she said. “We’re bowling in good areas but the last five overs are still beating us.

“The batting is not coming to the party, still leaving it to one person to get the runs. Deandra [Dottin] didn’t get any today and it was the perfect time for someone, but we didn’t manage it. We’ve bowled well but keep falling down. Sometimes we aren’t executing our plans.”

ENGLAND

T Beaumont lbw b Ramharack 27

D Wyatt c wkp Campbelle b Alleyne 0

N Sciver c wkp Campbelle b Alleyne 6

*H Knight c wkp Campbelle b Connell 42

+A Jones run out 55

S Dunkley c & b Matthews 0

K Brunt not out 25

S Glenn not out 4

Extras (w5, nb2) 7

TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 166

Did not bat: M Villiers, S Ecclestone, A Shrubsole

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-22, 3-45, 4-110, 5-112, 6-161.

Bowling: Connell 4-0-44-1 (w1), Alleyne 4-0-25-2 (w1, nb1), Dottin 4-0-23-0 (w1, nb1), Taylor 2-0-14-0 (w1), Ramharack 3-0-27-1, Gajnabi 1-0-17-0, Matthews 2-0-16-1 (w1).

WEST INDIES

D Dottin b Brunt 4

L Kirby b Sciver 4

+S Campbelle lbw b Ecclestone 11

H Matthews lbw b Glenn 11

*S Taylor b Glenn 13

C Nation run out 30

A Alleyne run out 15

S Grimmond run out 3

S Gajnabi b Brunt 7

K Ramharack not out 0

Extras (b1, lb8, w15) 24

TOTAL (9 wkts, 20 overs) 122

Did not bat: S Connell.

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-26, 3-35, 4-59, 5-67, 6-105, 7-113, 8-122, 9-122.

Bowling: Brunt 4-1-21-2 (w2), Shrubsole 4-0-27-0 (w2), Sciver 2-0-16-1 (w2), Ecclestone 4-0-15-1 (w2), Knight 1-0-4-0, Glenn 3-0-15-2, Villiers 2-0-15-0.

Result: England Women won by 44 runs.

Series: England Women lead five-match series 4-0.

Player-of-the-Match: Amy Jones.

Toss: England Women.

Umpires: G Lloyd, M Burns; TV – D Millns.