HARARE – Deandra Dottin extended her rich vein of form with a typically enterprising 73 to lead West Indies Women to a six-wicket win over Ireland Women in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier on Tuesday.
The Barbadian all-rounder cracked eight fours and two sixes from 87 balls, as the Windies Women successfully chased 160 for victory in their opening match of the Qualifier at Old Hararians.
Dottin continued to settle into her new role of opener and dominated an opening stand of 61 inside 13 overs with Radshada Williams to set the foundation for the Caribbean side’s successful chase.
Williams spent 34 balls over eight, but Dottin proved her class over this opposition, bringing up her 50 from only 47 balls.
When Dottin fell in the 25th over to off-spinner Eimear Richardson, the West Indies Women were firmly on track for victory, needing 47 in the second half of the innings.
Though Hayley Matthews was bowled by Richardson for nine in the 31st over, Windies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor gathered 41 not out and guided her side over the finish line with 10.3 overs remaining.
Earlier, vice-captain Anisa Mohammed, bowling her off-spin, was the most successful West Indies Women’s bowler, taking 3-40 from 10 overs to lead the demolition of the Ireland batting for 159 in 43 overs.
Taylor and Matthews, also twirling their off-spin, and pacer Shamilia Connell supported with two wickets apiece after the Windies Women won the toss and decided to field.
The West Indies Women’s attack bowled tightly, but openers Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis started well for the Irish Women, putting on 79 for the first wicket.
Once Mohammed held a return catch to remove Lewis for the top score of 36 in the 21st over, the Ireland Women’s batting imploded.
Taylor’s direct hit led to the run out of Amy Hunter off the next delivery without the batsman facing a ball, and Mohammed bowled Paul for 25, as the Irish Women lost three wickets in a span of eight deliveries.
Matthews then got in the act and removed Laura Delany and Orla Prendergast in the 27th over before the Ireland Women reached 100, and Richardson started a personally rewarding day with a useful 32 to help her side past the 150-run mark.
The Windies Women face Sri Lanka Women in their second match on Saturday at the Harare Sports Club, starting at 3:30 a.m. East Caribbean Time.
The match will be webcast “live” on www.ICC.tv, and there will be “live” ball-by-ball scoring available on the ICC website, icc-cricket.com.
Summarised scores:
IRELAND WOMEN 159 off 43 overs (Gaby Lewis 36, Eimear Richardson 32, Leah Paul 25; Anisa Mohammed 3-40, Stafanie Taylor 2-15).
WEST INDIES WOMEN 163 for four off 39.3 overs (Deandra Dottin 73, Stafanie Taylor 41 not out; Eimear Richardson 2-33).
(AR)
