The unfortunate dismissal of star batter Deandra Dottin for a first-ball “duck” symbolised the change in fortunes of the West Indies Women cricketers in the Tri-Nation Twenty20 International Series.
After back-to-back opening wins against New Zealand and England in which Dottin scored 52 and 32, the West Indies suffered their first defeat, losing by nine runs to New Zealand at Kensington Oval on Sunday night.
New Zealand, who won the toss and batted, were restricted to a modest 101 for seven in their 20 overs.
But the White Ferns, who had lost their first two matches, kept alive their hopes of making Saturday’s final by limiting the Windies to 92 for eight.
Openers Stafanie Taylor (24 off 36 balls) and Juliana Nero (20 off 30 balls) had launched the Windies’ bid for a third straight victory by adding 44 runs in 10 overs.
But a double blow by wily leg-spinner Erin Bermingham with consecutive balls in her last over started the Windies’ demise.
With 58 runs required from the last 10 overs, Nero inexplicably charged down the pitch to Bermingham, missed her slog and was easily stumped by wicket-keeper Rachel Priest.
Dottin was promoted to No.3 but Bermingham produced a delivery which seemed to spin past her bat as Priest gathered the ball. However, umpire Peter Nero upheld the half-hearted appeal of the New Zealand fielders, much to the disappointment of the 1500-strong crowd.
Kyshona Knight joined Taylor and played out the rest of the over to give Bermingham (2-14) a double-wicket maiden.
In the next over, the left-handed Knight swung left-arm spinner Morna Nielsen for a six between midwicket and long on but rain stopped play for 45 minutes with the Windies on 53 for two after 11.5 overs.
On resumption, the West Indies surrendered wickets tamely to some ill-advised shots.
The pacy Nicola Browne was brought back and Taylor needlessly pulled a delivery straight into the hands of Nielsen at mid-on.
Knight followed for 10, hitting a full toss from left-arm seamer Sian Ruck straight to Amy Satterthwaite inside the long on boundary.
Captain Merissa Aguilleira, battling a bout of influenza, made five off ten balls before lifting a catch to Browne at long on off Ruck.
With 30 runs needed from the last four overs, Ruck bowled the free-scoring Stacy-Ann King, who had executed a lovely cover drive for four in her previous over, for 10.
Thereafter, the task proved too onerous for Shanel Daley and teenager Shaquana Quintyne, who had earlier struck key blows with the ball in New Zealand’s innings after pacer Tremayne Smartt’s tidy new-ball spell.
Daley trapped opposing captain Suzie Bates leg before wicket for 10 while leg-spinner Quintyne followed up Friday’s career-best five for 16, with two for 16, removing Sophie Devine for 13 and Kathie Perkins (one).
Priest entered the fray at 50 for four in the 12th over, and top-scored with a breezy 26 off 17 balls with three fours and a six. She dominated a fifth-wicket stand of 30 in just 3.4 overs with Maddy Green, who made 16.
After lifting off-spinner Anisa Mohammed for four over long off, Priest hoisted seamer Shakera Selman for a four and six over long on.
But she was bowled by the first ball from King (2-12), who along with the slippery Dottin (1-5) showed their worth as bowlers as New Zealand only got 21 runs in the last five overs.
