PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC- England Women defeated West Indies Women by seven wickets to take a one nil lead in their three match One Day International series (ODI) yesterday after their opening encounter on Tuesday was abandoned because of rain.
A half century from Sarah Taylor led an easy run chase after Katie Cross and Natalie Sciver combined to remove the bulk of the West Indies batting at the Queen’s Park oval.
Taylor was unbeaten on 55 as England cruised to 128 for three in 33.3 overs, easily surpassing the West Indies score of 126 all out in 38.1 overs.
Lauren Winfield contributed 31 and Lydia Greenway was undefeated on 20.
Cross was named player of the match for top figures of four for 51, to lead the destruction of the Caribbean side.
Cross, Sciver and Holly Colvin accounted for nine of ten wickets to have fallen under the pressure of the English bowling attack, despite a promising partnership in the middle of the innings as well as a late cameo from Shaquana Quintyne.
Sciver picked up three wickets for 19 runs while Colvin bagged two for 7. West Indies women, who won the toss and elected to bat, were off to a poor start after losing their first wicket in the first over of their innings when Kycia Knight was caught attempting a pull shot.
The home side lost a few more early wickets, including June Ogle who edged to second slip for Sarah Taylor to take a regulation catch and Stafanie Taylor who was caught behind after she was beaten by a ball which lifted. The West Indies women plunged to 53-for four but a rescue mission to repair the damage was underway between Shemaine Campbell and Deandra Dottin. The two put together a partnership that yielded 39 runs and which ended when Dottin became another victim of Sciver, brilliantly caught behind by Taylor.
Dottin scored 19, same total as Campbell but the highlight of the West Indies batting was a bold effort by 17 year old Shaquana Quintyne to revive the innings.
Quintyne played well for a top score of 42 before she was caught and bowled Colvin.
West Indies will try to level the series tomorrow when the two teams meet in the third and deciding game.
