LEICESTER – Half-centuries from Hayley Matthews and captain Stafanie Taylor failed to inspire West Indies Women today and India Women beat them by five wickets in a pre-Women’s World Cup practice match.
Both Matthews and Taylor hit an even 50, but the Windies Women were restricted to 174 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs, after they chose to bat on a hard, true Leicester Grammar School pitch on a partly sunny day in the English East Midlands.
Matthews struck eight fours from 73 balls and shared an opening stand of 70 with Felicia Walters, the only other batsman to reach 20, before Taylor came to the crease and tried to lift the tempo with five fours and one six from 59 balls.
The pace of Shamilia Connell and the safe hands of wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira behind the stumps left the Indians reeling on 37 for three and Matthews collected the scalps of Harmanpreet Kaur for 33 and Veda Krishnamurthy for a duck in successive overs to leave the Asian side 86 for five.
But the Caribbean side failed to make any further inroads into their opponents’ batting, as Smriti Mandhana with an unbeaten top score 77 from 99 balls and Mona Meshram with 40 not out off 77 balls shared an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 89 to take India Women over the finish line with 44 balls remaining.
This was the final practice match for the Windies Women ahead of two official ICC Women’s World Cup warm-up matches against Pakistan Women on Tuesday here and South Africa Women on Thursday at Oakham.
The two sides are preparing for the ICC Women’s World Cup to be staged from June 24 to July 23 in England. (PR)
Summarised scores:
WEST INDIES WOMEN 174 for nine off 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 50, Stafanie Taylor 50, Felicia Walters 20). INDIA WOMEN 175 for five off 42.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 77 not out, Mona Meshram 40 not out, Harmanpreet Kaur 33; Shamilia Connell 3-42, Hayley Matthews 2-27).
SQUAD
Stafanie Taylor (Captain)
Merissa Aguilleira
Reniece Boyce
Shamilia Connell
Shanel Daley
Deandra Dottin
Afy Fletcher
Qiana Joseph
Kyshona Knight
Hayley Matthews
Anisa Mohammed
Chedean Nation
Akeira Peters
Shakera Selman
Felicia Walters
Team Management Unit
Vasbert Drakes (Head Coach)
Ann Browne-John (Operations Manager)
Ezra Moseley (Assistant Coach)
Stuart Williams (Assistant Coach)
Oba Gulston (Physiotherapist)
Hector Martinez-Charles (Fitness Coordinator)
Donald La Guerre (Performance Advisor)
Trent Sargeant (Video Data Analyst)
Adriel “Woody” Richard (Media Relations Advisor)
ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
Schedule of Matches – West Indies Women
June
26: Australia vs West Indies – Taunton
29: West Indies vs India – Taunton
July
2: South Africa vs West Indies – Leicester
6: New Zealand vs West Indies – Taunton
9: West Indies vs Sri Lanka – Derby
11: West Indies vs Pakistan – Leicester
15: England vs West Indies – Bristol
Semi-finals
18: Semi-final 1 – Bristol
20: Semi-final 2 – Derby
Final
23: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 – Lord’s, London
