Staff Writer – Archi
West Indies women made a tremendous comeback thrashing Sri Lanka by 209 runs in their second Group A match to resurrect their hopes of qualifying in the Super Six in the ICC Women’s World Cup in Mumbai, India on Sunday.
Stephanie Taylor cracked a brilliant century to lift her team’s spirit after they lost to India by 105 runs in their opening match.
The Caribbean islanders rattled up their highest-ever ODI total of 368 for eight by riding on 21-year-old opener Taylor’s career-best knock of 171 and then bowled out Sri Lanka for 159 in 40 overs at the MIG Club ground in Mumbai.
Jamaican Taylor cracked her fourth One-day century while hard-hitting Deandra Dottin smashed the fastest-ever half century in women’s cricket in only 20 balls to power the West Indies to their first-ever 300-plus score and the fourth highest in the tournament’s history and the seventh best of all ODI scores.
Sri Lanka, who had stunned defending champions England in their tournament opener at the Brabourne Stadium two days ago, never threatened to surpass the target and lost comprehensively.
The West Indians bowled with purpose and also fielded brilliantly.
Sri Lanka never recovered from their dismal start that saw them losing their openers Charmari Athapaththu and Yasoda Mendis with only 29 on the board.
They then slumped to 89 for six before finally collapsing for the modest score.
Earlier, Taylor, who flopped against hosts India, struck form in great style to notch a personal best score off just 137 balls with 18 fours and two sixes, as the Caribbean islanders toyed with the Lankan attack to run up their highest-ever ODI total after being put in to bat.
Deandra Dottin. Photo courtesy cricketworld.com
Taylor, driving in front of the wicket with power and panache, first put on 62 runs for the first wicket with left-handed Lycia Knight, who made 30, and then got involved in a fine partnership of 110 runs in 124 balls for the third wicket with Kyshona Knight who was run out for 44.
Later, the innings was given a fresh impetus by the arrival of Dottin who struck four sixes and five fours in a whirlwind knock of 50 off just 20 balls, three balls faster than the previous fastest made by Australia’s Meg Lanning less than two months ago in Sydney.
The 21-year-old Barbadian also featured in a quickfire partnership of 90 off 39 balls with Taylor for the fourth wicket, by taking full advantage of the field restrictions to hit past the ropes with impunity.
Dottin, who started off with a straight six, completed her 50 off just 20 balls with four fours and five sixes and then got out two balls later, bowled by left-arm spinner Sherina Ravikumar.
The West Indies, thanks in the main to the belligerent knock by Dottin, added as many as 71 runs in the second power play period taken between the 36th and 40th overs and were handsomely placed at 274 for 4.
Later, captain Merissa Aguillera compiled a 24-ball unbeaten 47 and also added 55 runs in less than six overs in the slog overs for the seventh wicket to pile on the agony on Lanka.
Stefanie completed her ton in 97 balls and then sat back a bit when Dottin went berserk as the bowling and fielding of Lanka wilted.
Dottin smashed 17 runs in one over off Chamani Senevirathne and then carted Sripali for two sixes in an over, including one out of the small ground, to complete her half ton.
After Dottin was bowled by left-arm spinner Sherina Ravikumar, Taylor continued to plunder the pedestrian Lanka bowling attack, though she lost two more partners at the other end in quick time, to help West Indies reach 300 in the 44th over.
Brief Scores: West Indies 368/8 in 50 overs (Kycia Knight 30, Stefanie Taylor 171, Kyshona Knight 44, Deandra Dottin 50, Merissa Aguillera 47; Chamani Senevirathne 2/72, Shashikala Siriwardene 2/58, Sherina Ravikumar 2/69) bt Sri Lanka 159 in 40 overs (Prasidini Weerakkody 22, Deepika Rasangika 28; Shanel Daley 2/35, Shaquana Quintayne 3/32).
