With a semifinal berth at stake, the English women hung
on to a fine start and quelled a spirited West Indian challenge in the
ICC World Twenty20 at the HPCA Stadium here on Thursday.
Set
a target of 109, England, riding on a strokeful opening partnership of
59 runs between Charlotte Edwards and Tammy Beaumont, made heavy weather
of the task, slipping from 63 for one before winning off the last ball
with a wicket to spare. The third win in four matches helped England
make the semifinals from Group B.
The West Indians
would feel aggrieved at being denied Edwards’s wicket when it was
convinced she had nicked the ball to ’keeper Merissa Aguilleira off
Shamilia Connell. The England skipper made the most of it and inspired
Beaumont (31, 23b) to play with freedom at the other end. She was
declared Player-of-the-Match.
A feature of the
English chase was a flicked six by Beaumont off Deandra Dottin apart
from the five fours the opener struck. Edwards fell for a 29-ball 30
(5x4) with England 46 runs away.
The West Indies made
25 runs in the first five overs and it worked in England’s favour as
the opposition reached 49 for one at the halfway stage. Shaquana
Quintyne’s range of strokes kept England under pressure but she lacked
support at the other end. In an attempt to push the score she holed out
to long-on for a 28-ball 29 (4x4) and the stage was left to Stefanie
Taylor and Deandra Dottin to post a competitive target for England.
The
Taylor-Dottin stand for the third wicket was worth 52 runs when Taylor
was taken at long-off for a well-constructed 35 off 47 balls with one
four in the 19th over. Dottin (22) followed soon and the West Indies
managed a total of 108 for four with England managing 53 dot balls.
The scores: West
Indies 108 for four in 20 overs (Stefanie Taylor 35, Shaquane Quintyne
29) lost to England 109 for nine in 20 overs (Tammy Beaumont 31,
Charlotte Edwards 30, Afy Fletcher three for 12, Shaquana Quintyne three
for 19).
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