KINGSTON, Jamaica — West Indies women’s cricket team lost to New Zealand in a nail-biting finish at Sabina Park on Sunday. New Zealand’s one-run victory gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI Series.
New Zealand lost their last five wickets for 15 runs, while West Indies, who at one stage needed 17 runs off six overs, lost five wickets for 10 runs.
It went down to the last over where West Indies needed three runs and New Zealand a wicket. Shaquana Quintyne took a single to give Subrina Munro the strike, but disaster struck for the home team with the former ran out on 10.
Earlier, New Zealand, electing to bat, made 225-8 off their allotted 50 overs with Suzie Bates leading the way with 110 off 131 balls. Bates, who was missed stump twice and dropped once, put on 65 runs for the opening stand with Natalie Dodd, who contributed 18.
Bates whose innings included 9 fours also had two good partnerships, 95 for the second wicket with Amy Satterthwaite, 33, and 60 for the third with Sophie Devine, 34. The last five wickets fell for 15 runs.
Stafanie Taylor was the leading bowler with 4-19. Tremayne Smart, Shanel Daley and Quintyne took a wicket each
In reply, West Indies opened with Kycia Knight and Natasha McLean. They put on 47 for the first wicket with Knight getting 13 and McLean 24. West Indies, however, slipped to 54 for 3 with Shemaine Campbelle the other batter back in the pavilion for zero.
Safanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin, both of whom born the same year and month, put back West Indies on track with a 51-run stand. Taylor got 46 in the process.
The best partnership of West Indies’ innings came when captain Merissa Aguilleira joined Dottin in 74-run 5th wicket stand. Dottin dominated the partnership before she fell lbw for 66 balls, during which time she struck seven fours and a six.
Aguilleira, who had earlier watched as Dottin blasted the bowlers to all parts of the ground, took charge when she became the senior partners of Shanel Daley, 7, and Shaquana Quintyne.
But after the captain went for 43 it became uphill task for West Indies. Nicola Browne was the best bowler for New Zealand with 3-28. Morna Nielsen took 2-22.