RAJKOT, India, CMC – A resolute 63 from Shanel Daley failed to ignite West Indies Women, and India Women crushed them by 57 runs in the fifth and final One-day International yesterday.
Daley struck half-dozen boundaries in her 112-ball innings, as Windies Women, chasing 189 for victory, were dismissed for 131 in 45.4 overs in the contest at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground.
The 22-year-old daughter of former Jamaica men’s all-rounder Aaron Daley added 43 for the fifth wicket with Deandra Dottin to help the Windies Women recover from a wobbly 60 for four in the 22nd over.
After Dottin was run out for 21 in the 38th over, West Indies Women lost their way, and six wickets fell for 28 runs in the space of 51 balls.
The result meant that India Women won the five-match series 3-2, after the visitors won the first match by nine wickets at Mumbai, the home team rebounded with a 10-run victory at Vadodara, where the Windies Women also won the third match by three wickets, before the Indians won the penultimate match by 10 runs here.
The defeat also meant that Windies Women failed in their bid for a historic ODI series victory over India Women, although they clinched momentous ODI wins for the first time ever over their opponents.
Choosing to field, Windies Women had India Women reeling on 88 for six in the 30th over, but Amita Sharma hit the top score of 47 from 58 balls to help the home team reach a respectable 188 for nine off their 50 overs.
West Indies Women suffered a huge setback at the start of their chase, when batting heroine Stafanie Taylor was lbw to Jhulan Goswami, the India Women captain, for two in the third over.
On the back of Daley, one of six women’s players under retainer contracts from the West Indies Cricket Board, the visitors got moving, but Juliana Nero was caught and bowled off Sharma for eight in the 11th over, and Windies Women’s captain Merissa Aguilleira was lbw to Goswami for a duck in the following over.
Windies Women were 46 for three, and they slid further, when Stacy-Ann King was caught off Gouher Sultana for nine.
Dottin, another contracted player, joined Daley, and they stabilised the innings before the bottom literally fell out of the Windies Women’s batting, as Priyanka Roy finished with three wickets for 26 runs from 8.4 overs, Goswami two for 22 from six overs, and Sultana two for 25 from eight overs.
Earlier, Windies Women appeared to have the match under control, after they bowled steadily, and India Women were left reeling.
Sharma joined Rumeli Dhar in a crucial stand of 40 for the seventh wicket, and Goswami added a useful 16 to help beef-up the total.
Tramayne Smartt was the most successful Windies Women’s bowler with two for 27 from eight overs.
The two sides now contest three Twenty20 Internationals this coming Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at Ahmedabad.
