Off-spinner Karishma Ramharack triggered a late collapse but New Zealand Women held their nerve to come away with a two-wicket win in the second CG United One-Day International on Thursday. In pursuit of 170 for victory at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the visitors appeared to be on course at 164-4 in the 37th over.
However, leg-spinner Afy Fletcher knocked over top-scorer Maddy Green for 48, which triggered a slide that saw four wickets tumble for three runs in 17 balls. Ramharack snatched career-best figures of 3-22 – the last three wickets – before New Zealand Women managed to get home at the start of the 41st over. Experienced seam bowler Shakera Selman was also good at the top of the innings with 2-30 – dismissing both openers.
The result gave the visitor an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, following their victory in the series opener on Monday. Maddy Green won it for the visitors, off 78 balls while adding 66 for the fourth wicket with Lauren Down (33) and another 47 for the fifth wicket with Brooke Halliday (24).
Selman spoke to CWI Media after the match and said:
“We didn’t have enough runs on the board. The pitch was conducive to run-scoring and we didn’t take advantage of that … one positive focus is that we get bowled out, so we just need to work harder and get that 200 total because we see what we can do (with the ball) if we have enough runs.”
Earlier, West Indies Women made 169-9 off their 50 overs, captain Hayley Matthews top-scored with a patient 46 from 82 balls and the in-form Chinelle Henry chipped in with a breezy 30 from 35 balls.
The hosts had a bad start when Rashada Williams (13), Natasha McLean (4) and Shabika Gajnabi (7) fell cheaply, as the innings slumped to 29-3 in the 11th over. Matthews did a repair job in a stand of 38 for the fourth wicket with Stafanie Taylor (10) and a further 47 for the sixth wicket with Henry who hit five fours.
However, Eden Carson, the off-spinner on debut, took 3-31. She hit Matthews in front and then picked up another two wickets as West Indies Women slipped to 129-7 at the end of the 39th over, before Fletcher (19) and Selman (18) put on a precious 36 for the eighth wicket.