The opening game of the 12th edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was played between hosts New Zealand and West Indies on March 4 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the White Ferns restricted the Caribbeans to 259-9 in 50 overs.
It was a fabulous start to the World Cup as West Indies’ opening batter Deandra Dottin smashed a delightful boundary on the very first ball of the innings bowled by Lea Tahuhu. Dottin plundered three boundaries in that first over. Later, riding on opening batter Hayley Matthew’s delectable century, West Indies posted a respectable score on board. The right-handed batter muscled 119 runs off 128 balls, including 16 boundaries and a six. This was the 23-year old’s maiden century in ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. In the process, she stitched a couple of crucial partnerships with captain Stafanie Taylor (30 runs off 47 balls) off 66 runs and with Shemane Campbell (20 runs off 38 balls) of 60 runs. Towards the end, Chedean Nation played a useful knock of 36 (46), including four boundaries. In the final two overs, Anisa Mohammed smashed a couple of boundaries to take the West Indian total to 250+.
After 50 Overs, West Indies managed 259/9
Hayley Matthews: 119 (128)
Chedean Nation: 36 (46)Jess Kerr: 2/43 (10 overs)
Lea Tahuhu: 3/57 (9 overs)New Zealand need 260 runs to win.#CWC22 #TeamWestIndies pic.twitter.com/riVlgZ6tQq
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 4, 2022
There were a couple of dropped catches during the West Indian batting. One was of Campbell who was dropped on 4 in the 26th over by Brooke Halliday at deep mid-wicket off Lea Tahuhu’s bowling and the other was of Chinelle Henry, who was dropped on 2 in the 46th over by Hannah Rowe at fine leg, also off Tahuhu’s bowling.
For New Zealand, their pace sensation Tahuhu was the pick of the bowlers. The right arm seamer opened the bowling for White Ferns and despite going for plenty of runs in her first two overs, she made a comeback in her second spell. Tahuhu completed the innings with the bowling figures of 3-57 in her nine overs. She picked up the key wickets of Dottin, Taylor and Nation. Jess Kerr was the other bowler who had an impact in the match as she accounted for 2-43 in her 10 overs. Apart from Tahuhu and Kerr, speedster Hannah Rowe and leg spinner Amelia Kerr struck with one wicket apiece. The innings saw just a solitary maiden over being bowled, thanks to the wily spinner Kerr.
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I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.