Windiescricket.Com
PERTH, Australia- Shemaine Campbelle celebrated her one hundredth T20 International match for the West Indies Women by providing a match-winning partnership with her skipper Stafanie Taylor, as the West Indies Women defeated Thailand by seven wickets in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at the WACA in Perth.
Thailand won the toss and elected to bat first. It did not take the West Indies bowlers to make inroads into the Thai batting line up, with Chinelle Henry striking first, followed by Shamilia Connell. Then the Thai batters consolidated after getting accustomed to the fast bowlers, even carting them around the park for a couple boundaries.
The West Indies slow bowling contingent led by Anisa Mohammed, which include Afy Fletcher and Hayley Matthews, put a halt to the Thai scoring in the middle overs, after the drastically reduced the run-rate. Stafanie introduced herself late into the bowling attack, but it turned out to be the right time, as she struck twice in her first over. She finished bowling the West Indies innings, not before getting a third wicket to her tally.
Thailand finished their innings on 78/9 from 20 overs, wicketkeeper Nannapat Koncharoenkai was their top scorer with 33, followed by Naruemol Chaiwai with 13. Stafanie Taylor had the best bowling figures for the West Indies, taking 3-13-3, followed by Afy Fletcher with 3-11-1.
The West Indies Women’s run-chase did not get off to the start they wanted, as LeeAnn Kirby was runout for 3. Her opening partner Hayley Matthews was cruising, finding the gaps or going over the top of the Thailand fielders, before she bowled for 16. Captain Stafanie Taylor started the rebuild but not before the dangerous Deandra Dottin was run out, short of her ground for 5.
In came the newest West Indian T20 Internationals centurion Shemaine Campbelle, to provide support just when the captain needed it. Both Stafanie and Shemaine knocked the ball around, picking up singles and twos as the Thai players kept their inner ring tight. Stafanie showed why she’s second on the all-time leading run-scorers list for women’s T20 internationals, as she dissected and cut through the Thailand fielding positions.
Stafanie’s 27 not out from 37 and Shemaine’s 25 not out from 27 deliveries guided the West Indies Women to victory in 16.4 overs, finishing on 80/3. Soraya Lateh was the lone wicket-taker for Thailand finishing with figures of 3-21-1, since two of the three West Indies wickets fell to runouts.
The win earned the West Indies Women two points as they move to Canberra for their second match of the competition against Pakistan on February 26 at the Manuka Oval.