Dottin leads WI to victory

South Africa just can’t seem to break their Twenty20 jinx against the West Indies.
The Caribbean women continued their dominance over the Proteas in the game’s shortest version when they defeated them by eight wickets in the first of two matches at Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia, yesterday.
Led by a scintillating knock of 48 from Barbadian Deandra Dottin, the regional side overhauled South Africa’s modest total of 113 for seven from their 20 overs, finishing on 114 for two with ten balls to spare.
It was the West Indies’ eighth victory in as many Twenty20 matches against the South Africans, and means that they cannot lose the series heading into today’s final match.
Dottin, who was named Player-Of-The-Match, blasted 48 from just 30 balls including three fours and three sixes, and together with Barbadian debutant Kycia Knight, who anchored the innings with a responsible knock of 33, put on 68 in 8.4 overs to lead their side to victory.
The South Africans will no doubt be kicking themselves after a shoddy display in the field which saw them miss two easy stumpings along with several opportunities to run out both players.
In their run chase, West Indies started promisingly with openers Stefanie Taylor and Knight taking the score to 23 before Taylor sliced Chloe Tryon to point where Shandre Fritz took a brilliant catch diving to her left.
Shemaine Campbell scored 14 runs in a 23-run partnership with Knight, until she walked past a delivery from off-spinner Sunette Loubser and was stumped by wicketkeeper Sarannats Cordes, to leave West Indies 46 for two in the tenth over.
In came Dottin, and she immediately made her presence felt. First she belted Marcia Letsoalo over midwicket for six and followed it up with a slash through point for four off the very next ball.
Loubser didn’t fare much better in her next over either, as Dottin belted her over the long-off boundary for another huge six, just before rain intervened, causing a stoppage with the score on 66 for two and Dottin on 20 off 11 balls.
On resumption, Knight continued to be the perfect partner for a rampaging Dottin, skillfully working the ball through the gaps and rotating the strike.
Dottin added another huge six and two more boundaries as the West Indies transformed a run-a-ball run rate into a comfortable victory, with Knight nudging Marizanne Kapp for a single to end the contest, leaving Dottin two runs short of a well-deserved half century.
Earlier, Shanel Daley (2-14), Shaquanna Quintyne (2-18) and Taylor (2-24) produced a good bowling performance to help limit their opponents.
At one stage, a 57-run partnership between captain Mignon du Preez, who topscored with 39 and Cri-zelda Brits, who made 36, had put South Africa in control.
But once both departed in quick succession, the Proteas struggled to reach their eventual total. (RB)