DURBAN, South Africa, CMC – West Indies Women failed to overcome a poor start to an uncomplicated run chase and tumbled to an 11-run defeat to South Africa Women in their opening Twenty20 International of the three-match series here yesterday.
In pursuit of a 126 at Kingsmead, the Windies Women plunged to 16 for four in the fifth over before ending on 114 for six off their 20 overs.
Right-hander Deandra Dottin extended her good form with a top score of 40 while Stacey-Ann King chipped in with 29.
Seamer Shabnim Ismail, voted Player-of-the-Match, claimed three for 12 after knocking over the top order.
Captain Stafanie Taylor fell for four in the third over while Hayley Matthews perished off the next delivery to suffer the indignity of a first-ball ‘duck’, as Ismail left West Indies Women tottering on 13 for two.
The Knight twin, Kyshona (2) and Kycia (8) followed cheaply in successive overs, leaving Dottin and King to stitch up the innings with a 72-run, fifth wicket stand.
Dottin was superb, striking a four and four sixes off 31 deliveries while King was more patient in her 37-ball knock which included four fours.
The partnership appeared to have put West Indies Women back on course for victory when leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk, who finished with two for 19, knocked over both Dottin and King within the space of five deliveries in the 16th over.
Shemaine Campbelle, with 16 not out from 15 balls and Shaquana Quintyne, 10 not out from 11 deliveries, then tried to see their side home in an unbroken 25-run, seventh run stand but the effort proved in vain.
Lizelle Lee had earlier stroked 35 from 32 balls with two fours and two sixes while opener van Niekerk hit 22 from 18 balls with two fours, to rally the hosts innings.
Van Niekerk put on 41 with Trisha Chetty (16) for the first wicket before both fell as three wickets tumbled for nine runs to leave the score on 50 for three in the ninth over.
Lee and Marizanne Kapp (20) then gave the innings momentum with a 48-run, fifth wicket stand.
Off-spinners Anisa Mohammed (2-23) and Hayley Matthews (2-24) picked up two wickets apiece.
West Indies Women will attempt to level the series when they take on the Proteas Women in the second game at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg tomorrow.
SCOREBOARD
SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN
D van Niekerk c Kyshona Knight b Mohammed 22
+T Chetty c Matthews b Mohammed 16
*M du Preez c Selman b Dottin 5
M Kapp run out 20
L Lee c Kyshona Knight b Matthews 35
S Luus not out 16
S Ismail c Campbelle b Matthews 1
O Kirsten not out 2
Extras (w7, nb1) 8
TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 125
Did not bat: D Devnarain, M Daniels, M Letsoalo
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-41, 3-50, 4-98, 5-115, 6-122.
Bowling: Smartt 3-0-14-0 (w2), Selman 2-0-23-0, Dottin 4-0-21-1 (w3, nb1), Mohammed 4-0-23-2 (w1), Quintyne 3-0-20-0 (w1), Matthews 4-0-24-2.
WEST INDIES WOMEN
+Kycia Knight c wkp Chetty b Ismail 8
*S Taylor c Kapp b Ismail 4
H Matthews c wkp Chetty b Ismail 0
Kyshona Knight c Ismail b Kirsten 2
D Dottin c Daniels b van Niekerk 40
S King b van Niekerk 29
S Campbelle not out 16
S Quintyne not out 10
Extras (w5) 5
TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 114
Did not bat: A Mohammed, T Smartt, S Selman
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-13, 3-16, 4-16, 5-88, 6-89.
Bowling: Ismail 4-1-12-3 (w1), Daniels 4-0-24-0 (w1), Kirsten 3-0-26-1 (w2), Luus 4-0-23-0 (w1), Letsoalo 1-0-10-0, van Niekerk 4-0-19-2.
Result: South Africa Women won by 11 runs.
Series: South Africa Women lead three-match series 1-0.
Player-of-the-Match: Shabnim Ismail.
Toss: South Africa Women.
Umpires: A Paleker, D Smith.
