West Indies pulled off their second win in the 2022 Cricket World Cup in as many games, against defending champions England.
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West Indies pulled off their second win in the 2022 Cricket World Cup in as many games, against defending champions England who faced a narrow seven-run defeat while chasing 226 in a low-scoring thriller in Dunedin on Wednesday. England’s depth came in the news after they were reduced to 94 for 5 at one stage, courtesy of Hayley Matthews’s twin strikes after the powerplay as well. However, Shamilia Connell’s double strike and Anisa Mohammed’s final-over heroics helped West Indies pull off another stunning victory.
Opting to bat, West Indies’ got off to a strong start with an 81-run opening stand between Deandra Dottin and Matthews. While the veteran played a stunning knock of 31 off 64 deliveries, Matthews scored a 58-ball 45 – hitting a couple of sixes and four more boundaries as well. However, England bounced back on their way by Sophie Ecclestone, who denied Matthews a fifty and then had West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor caught behind for a golden duck soon after which saw Dottin run out. Five overs later, Windies reduced to 98 for 4.
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However, West Indies’ middle-order added a 123-run partnership between Shemaine Campbelle (66) and Chedean Nation (49*). The duo successfully rotated the strike with the former registering a 70-ball half-century. She fell in the penultimate over while chasing big hits at death, and a few more strikes took the team to a total of 225 in their allotted 50 overs.
Meanwhile, Matthews troubled England’s start with her twin strikes to get rid of Heather Knight and Nat Sciver after a Dottin stunner at the backward point sent Lauren Winfield-Hill in. Cruising at 94 for 5, of which Tammy Beaumont added 46, the stability came in the form of a 60-run partnership between Danielle Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley. However, just when it looked like England are in their chase, Taylor broke the stand by dismissing Dunkley and Connell sent back Wyatt and Katherine Brunt in the 35th over to keep West Indies in the game again.
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But, Sophie Ecclestone and Kate Cross again shared a 61-run partnership and the duo brought the target down to single digits as well before a run-out saw them struggling again. Later on, Cross got out and the veteran bowler bowled Anya Shrubsole for a duck to seal the deal for her side as well.
Brief scores: West Indies 225/6 in 50 overs (Sshemaine Cambelle 66, Chedean Nation 49*; Sophie Ecclestone 3-20) beat England 218 in 47.4 overs (Tammy Beaumont 46; Shamilia Connell 3-38, Hayley Matthews 2-40, Anisa Mohammed 2-24) by 7 runs
