SAVAR – Deandra Dottin emphatically announced her return to international cricket with a scintillating unbeaten half-century as West Indies Women whipped Australia Women by 16 runs in their second and final warm-up game yesterday.
Playing at the Krira Shikkha Protisthan No. 3 Ground, West Indies tallied a competitive 144 for three off their 20 overs, with the right-handed Dottin smashing 78 from 48 balls.
In reply, Australia lost early wickets and were never really in the hunt, finishing on 128 for seven, with off-spinner Anisa Mohammed picking up three for 25 and left-armer Shanel Daley claiming two for ten.
While the second successive warm-up victory was key for team morale, Dottin’s display of top form would have been more significant. She was suspended for the recent tour of New Zealand on disciplinary grounds and West Indies struggled without her, losing the one-day series 3-0 and the five-match T20 series, 4-0.
Last October, the regional side trounced England and New Zealand in the Tri-Nation Series in Barbados, with Dottin emerging as Player Of The Series.
In her first match back on Tuesday, Dottin managed just six against South Africa but showed she had lost none of her aggressive touch yesterday, as she blasted 12 fours and two sixes.
West Indies lost Natasha McLean (7) and Kycia Knight (18) to slip to 30 for two in the sixth over before Dottin came to their rescue.
She was at the foundation of two partnerships, adding 64 for the third wicket with Kyshona Knight, who scored 21, and a further 50 off just 29 balls for the fourth wicket with Stafanie Taylor (11 not out).
After mixing caution with selective aggression throughout the early stages of her innings, Dottin went on an all-out attack at the start of the 16th over, smashing a four and a six in an over from left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen (2-24) that cost 13 runs.
The six raised Dottin’s half-century off 32 deliveries and she continued to attack, dominating the partnership with Taylor to give the Windies a strong finish.
