Aussie women win Twenty20 series

Australia’s women won the International Twenty20 series after thrashing the West Indies Women by nine wickets in the second match at Kensington Oval last night. Set a paltry 98 to win the match and the series, Australia made a mockery of the run chase by scoring 98 for one in 14.3 overs.

Opener Alyssa Healy hit an unbeaten 58 off 43 balls with ten boundaries and captain Meg Lanning scored 23 not out. They shared a second-wicket partnership of 54, after Healy and Beth Mooney (8) posted 44 for the first wicket.

Healy, the Player of the Match, gave notice that she was in an attacking mood by striking fast bowler Shamilia Connell for three boundaries in the first over of Australia’s innings which conceded 14 runs. Her aggression appeared to have knocked the wind out of the West Indies bowlers.

Alyssa Healy top-scored for the Aussies.

Earlier, the match that was due to start at 7 p.m., was delayed for an hour because of a wet outfield. When the game finally started Australia won the toss and sent the West Indies in to bat. Their decision appeared to have backfired as openers Britney Cooper and Kyshona Knight posted 30 runs in 5.3 overs.

While Knight found it difficult to get away the ball, Cooper was playing shots to all parts of the field. Knight was the first wicket  to fall when she drove at a ball from medium pacer Delissa Kimmince that pitched outside the off-stump and was caught by Georgia Wareham at extra cover for five.

Her dismissal triggered a collapse in the top order as five wickets fell for 27 runs. Captain Stafanie Taylor eked out six runs from 12 balls before she was caught at mid-on by Mooney. The West Indies slipped to 55 for 3 when Cooper was run out for 39. She faced 33 balls and counted six fours and one six.

The dismissal of Natasha McLean for a duck via the run out route left the West Indies in dire straits at 55 for four in the eleventh over.  Two runs later their woes increased after Reneice Boyce was dismissed for a one-ball duck. She got herself in a muddle against left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen and spooned a catch to Erin Burns at cover.

The trek of batters making brief appearances at the crease continued with the dismissal of Stacy King and Sheneta Grimmond in the 13th and 14th over respectively. At the dismissal of Grimmond it appeared the West Indies might have been bowled out within 20 overs.

Chinelle Henry (21) and Shabika Gajnabi (11) consumed 41 balls to spare the West Indies that indignity. Jonassen who took two wickets for 19 runs from four overs was the most successful bowler for Australia.  The final match of the series will be played tomorrow night.