Windies Women slump to series defeat

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

West Indies Women again failed to inspire confidence when off-spinner Charlie Dean produced a career-best effort, and England clinched a 17-run win in the third Twenty20 International on Saturday to take an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Dean took 4-19 in her four overs, and left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone took 2-28 in her four, and the Windies Women reached 140 for eight, in reply to England’s 157 for six, under the lights at Kensington Oval.

Apart from a top score of 38 from Rashada Williams, 35 from their captain Hayley Matthews, and 21 from hometown queen, Trishan Holder, the rest of the batting of the Caribbean side failed to fire.

The West Indies Women lost the first T20I by eight wickets last Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, and the second T20I last Wednesday by 16 runs at Kensington Oval.

The defeat was also the 10th for the Windies Women in their last 12 T20Is against the English Women, dating back over the past three years.

The hosts were on the back-foot from early when the visitors were set up by a 60-run opening stand between Sophie Dunkley, whose 44 off 31 balls was the top score, and Winfield-Hill with 24.

West Indies Women slowed things down in the middle overs, and England Women laboured to 107 for four in the 14th over.

But the Windies Women let things slip when Heather Knight made 43 from 27 balls that included five fours and one six and dominated a fifth wicket stand of 40 with Alice Davidson-Richards to beef up the total before she fell with seven balls remaining in the innings.