Aussies hunting ‘double’ after Windies lose to N/Z by 56 runs in women’s semis

May 15, 2010 Sports

---

By Sean Devers in St Lucia
in association with
Carib Beer & Leisure Inn

They said they would do better than the men’s team and they did. But in the end the spirited performance of the West Indies female team reached a screeching halt in the semi-finals of the Women’s 20/20 World Cup as they lost to New Zealand by 56 runs in St Lucia last evening under lights.
A magnificent 55-ball 84 from Sara McGlashin led the White Ferns to a challenging 180-5 off their 20 overs in overcast conditions in the second match in St Lucia yesterday after the clinical Australians had successfully chased down the formidable 191-6 made by Pakistan in the Men’s semi-final.
With both Australian teams already in Sunday’s finals at Kensington in Barbados, the West Indies girls needed a superlative batting performance on a slow tack to score the highest total in the Women’s tournament and gain a place alongside the Aussie girls on Sunday.
But it was the more experienced New Zealand team which prevailed as the hosts were restricted to 124-8 from 20 overs despite an elegant 44 from Jamaican Cricketer of the Year (2009) Stafanie Taylor.
A disappointingly small crowd watched as the West Indies girls removed the dangerous Suzie Bates (7) in the 3rd over as Stacy-Ann King at cover held a sharp catch to give pacer Shakera Selman the first of her 2 wickets and leave New Zealand on 18-1.
King held another catch to get rid of skipper Aimee Watkins, who struck 3 fours in her 17-ball 20 and off-spinner Anisa Mohamed had struck in her first over to leave the visitors, who lost in the final of both the World Cup 50 overs tournament in Australia and the World Cup 20/20 in England last year, on 49-2 in the 8th over.
Poor fielding and a bowling performance which lacked control from the Caribbean lasses let New Zealand off the hook and the confident McGlashin struck six fours and two sixes in her delightful innings before she was eventually run out to set her team on course for their winning total.
The West Indians appeared nervous and Sophie Devine who hit a six and a four in a 22-ball 27, added 93 with McGlashin for the 3rd wicket before the Bajan Selman removed Devine at 142-3 in the 17th over.
Nichole Browne (15) was run out off the final ball of the innings as the West Indies managed to curtail the scoring in the last 3 overs as Selman finished with 2-27.
The West Indies, watched by a live TV audience in their first ever semi-final at a World event, were off to a positive start with Taylor and the 41-year-old Pamela Lavine (7) putting together 23 in 3 overs before Lavine was caught behind off a Watkin’s off-break.
The burly Cordell Jack from St Vincent gave away plenty of runs in the field and her big hitting was badly required to get her team back in the hunt as she joined Taylor who stroked he ball with consummate ease.
However, after hitting a six over mid-wicket, Jack (18) pulled the lively Browne to short mid-wicket and the home team were 64-2 in 10 overs.
Deandra Dottin scored the only 20/20 century by a women with her record breaking 38-ball ton in the first round against South Africa in St Kitts and while he registered back-to-back first ball ducks in the next games against England and Australia, a lot was expected of the 18-year-old Barbadian.
However she failed to get into a grove and edged Browne, who looks like a model but bowls like a well trained athlete, to the keeper after making just a single and the West Indies were in real trouble at 76-4.
Shanel Daley (15) and Britney Cooper (14) offered some fight but the required rate kept mounting as the New Zealand girls fielded brilliantly on the slightly damp outfield to shut the West Indies run chase down.
Guyana’s Shemaine Campbell, who again kept wicket and bowled her leg-spin in the New Zealand innings, looked technically correct in her unbeaten 9 and along with Mohamed (4*) ensured the West Indies were not bowled out.
Browne took 2-20 from four overs, the exact figures of off-spinner Lucy Doolan who spun the ball a long way while Watkins had 3-26 for New Zealand who will hope to go all the way on Sunday after falling to England in last year’s final.
The Aussies, like their men counterparts look a mentally tough and well oiled unit and could be hard to beat.
Australia play England in the Men’s final from 11:30hrs before the ladies match-up from 16:00hrs at what is anticipated to be a ram packed Kensington Oval.
Scores: New Zealand 180 for 5 (McGlashan 84, Devine 27, Selman 2-27) beat West Indies 124 for 8 (Taylor 40, Watkins 3-26) by 56 runs.

---

---