On Wednesday, England and West Indies locked horns against each other in the seventh match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first.
West Indies got off to a steady start, thanks to their opening pair of Deandra Dottin (31 runs off 64 balls) and Hayley Matthews (45 runs off 58 balls) who stitched an 81 run partnership in 20.1 overs. However, after a solid foundation that was laid by Dottin and Matthews, West Indies were suddenly struggling at 81-3. England’s left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone got rid of Matthews in the 21st over and in the same over sent the captain Stafanie Taylor packing for a golden duck. Apart from these two wickets, the 21st over saw another wicket in the form of a run out, courtesy of Danielle Wyatt who hit the stumps directly to get the better of Dottin.
Ecclestone, bowling the 27th over, managed to pick up the wicket of Kycia Knight (6 runs off 22 balls) and West Indies from 80-0 went to 96-4 as they experienced the top-order collapse. However, wicket-keeper Shemaine Campbell (66 runs off 80 balls) and Chedean Nation came together and put their heads down to bail their team out. The duo put together 123-run partnership for the fifth wicket and in the process played some good-looking shots. Nation (49 not out off 74 balls) batted through till the end as she helped her side post a respectable score of 225-6 in 50 overs.
Innings break, 🌴West Indies: 225/6 (50 overs)
Shemaine Campbelle: 66 (80)
Chedean Nation: 49* (74)Sophie Ecclestone: 3/20 (10 overs)
Nat Sciver: 1/49 (8 overs)🏴England require 226 runs to win.#CWC22 #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/FKo1xL7ahf
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 9, 2022
For England, left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers as she picked up 3-20 in her 10 overs, including four maiden overs. Natalie Sciver was the other English bowler who was among wickets as she struck with 1-49 in her eight overs, including one maiden over. England though accounted for two runouts did not have the best of days in the field as they dropped as many as five catches.
England 🏴 have bounced back in the game against West Indies, courtesy of a brilliant spell by World No.1 Sophie Ecclestone 🔥#CWC22 #WIvENG pic.twitter.com/hnCcjWW08O
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 9, 2022
The English opening pair provided a steady start as they piled up 31 runs in eight overs, before Lauren Winfield-Hill (12 runs off 27 balls) was out caught by Deandra Dottin at point off Shamilia Connell’s bowling. That catch by Dottin is probably one of the best that has been seen in women’s cricket. It was a one-handed diving catch at point and it was an absolute screamer. Captain Heather Knight (5 runs off 14 balls), the centurion in last match Natalie Sciver (2 runs off 10 balls) and wicketkeeper Amy Ellen Jones (1 run off 15 balls) perished in quick succession and suddenly England were struggling at 4-72 in 21 overs.
Watch the Stunning Catch by Deandra Dottin here
England kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Tammy Beaumont (46 runs off 76 balls), who opened the batting, saw wickets falling all around her, despite that, she stood her ground and held the innings together. After Beaumont departed, Sophie Dunkley (38 runs off 35 balls) and Danielle Wyatt came together to stitch a 60-run partnership for the sixth wicket to give England some chance. While it seemed that England would cross the line, Dunkley and Wyatt (33 runs off 31 balls) were sent packing in the space of just two deliveries. West Indies pulled back things but then a 61-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Kate Cross (27 runs off 35 balls) and Sophie Ecclestone (33 not out off 41 balls) put back pressure on the Caribbeans. In an unexpected turn of events, Cross was run out by Anisa Mohammed off her own bowling at the non-striker’s end. With nine runs to get and one wicket in hand, the match was evenly poised. But Mohammed had the last laugh as she castled Anya Shrubsole for a duck to steer her side to a seven-run win.
For West Indies, right-arm medium pacer Shamilia Connell was the pick of the bowlers as she picked up 3-38 in her 10 overs, including one maiden over. She received good support from the twin off-spinners in Hayley Matthews and Anisa Mohammed who struck with two wickets each. Aaliyah Alleyne and captain Stafanie Taylor accounted for one scalp each. West Indies bowled well under pressure and kept picking wickets at regular intervals to keep the game in control. Apart from a couple of dropped catches, the Caribbean fielding looked brilliant as they were throwing themselves all around the park.
The second innings was swinging like a pendulum of a clock. At one point, it was swinging in England’s favour and then at the other point of the game it was swinging in West Indies’ favour. Finally, the pendulum stopped swinging as West Indies snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat beating England by just seven runs.
What a game, what a side!#TeamWestIndies knows how to ace close finishes#CWC22 @windiescricket pic.twitter.com/K2hDuNTshi
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 9, 2022
West Indies’ Shemaine Campbell won the player of the match for her match-winning batting performance of 66 runs off 80 balls.
With this win, West Indies registered their first-ever win against England in a World Cup. West Indies have won both their matches in their World Cup campaign so far, while the defending champions England have lost two close games in their journey to defend the title.
This is West Indies Women’s 1st WIN against England in an ODI World Cup Match
What a thrilling end to this match 🔥#CWC22 #WIvENG
— Female Cricket #CWC22 (@imfemalecricket) March 9, 2022
England and West Indies will play their next fixtures on March 14 against South Africa and on March 12 against India respectively.
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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.
