NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC):
West Indies Women suffered a heavy 142-run crushing in the first One-Day International (ODI) here Sunday night to slump to their seventh defeat in their last nine ODIs against England Women.
The Caribbean side were facing a historic run chase once the visitors piled up an imposing 307 for seven from their 50 overs after being sent in at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
And predictably, the required run rate of 6.25 runs per over proved too demanding, and the innings folded meekly for 165 in the 41st over.
Left-hander Kycia Knight, returning from injury after eight months on the sidelines, top-scored with 39 from 61 balls, while captain Hayley Matthews and Rashada Williams both scored 34.
They were three of only four batsmen to reach double figures, as 21-year-old off-spinner Charlie Dean dismantled the feeble run chase with four for 35 from nine overs.
“In both facets of the game, we probably didn’t do exactly what we wanted to,” Matthews said.
“We would’ve hoped to restrict England to a bit less than they did on a decent wicket, and I guess with the same decent wicket probably would’ve hoped to score a bit more runs.
“[There were] a lot of learnings for us, and we’re looking to go back to the drawing board and see what we can improve on in the next game.”
Player-of-the-match Nat Sciver top-scored with 90 from 96 balls while Danni Wyatt lashed a hasty 68 from 60 deliveries as England flourished.
Alice Capsey (17) and Sophia Dunkley (8) fell cheaply to leave England Women on 39 for two in the seventh over, but Sciver arrived to rally the innings, first in a 42-run, third-wicket stand with opener Tammy Beaumont (33) and then in a 46-run, fourth-wicket partnership with captain Heather Knight (16).
She then paired with Wyatt to add a further 103 for the fifth wicket in a stand that took the game away from West Indies Women.
Sciver punched nine fours while Wyatt struck four fours and three sixes but even when they departed, Amy Jones (30) put on a further 45 with Sophie Ecclestone (19) for the seventh wicket to inflict more pain on the hosts.
In reply, West Indies Women lost Aaliyah Alleyne in the third over for two with 14 runs on the board, holing out to mid-on off seamer Kate Cross and then watched as Matthews retired hurt on eight with the score on 21.
Knight and Williams rebuilt the innings, adding a further 63 to extend the second-wicket stand and frustrating England Women’s quest for further inroads.
While Knight struck four fours, William counted three in her 54-ball stay before perishing via the run-out route in the 20th over after indecision over a quick single.
Shemaine Campbelle failed to score, and Knight followed in the 26th over, but Matthews returned to hit five fours overall in a breezy 32-ball knock, posting 35 for the fifth wicket with Chedean Nation (17).
By the time Matthews was leg before wicket to 21-year-old seamer Lauren Bell at the start of the 33rd over, West Indies Women were well behind in the run chase, and they lost their last six wickets for just 25 runs.