Windies Women fall short

COLOMBO—West Indies Women’s bid to reach the Final of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Tournament was undermined by an impressive spell from Julie Hunter that fired Australia to a 28-run victory in a low-scoring second semifinal yesterday. Juliana Nero hit four boundaries in the top score of 31 from 45 balls and Shanel Daley struck three fours in 25 from 34 balls, but the Windies Women were bowled out for 87 in 19.2 overs before a modest, but vocal crowd at the Premadasa Stadium. Nero and Daley—the only two Windies Women’s players to reach double figures—shared 48 for the fourth wicket, as Hunter collected 5-22 from 3.2 overs to lead the Australian bowling.

 

The result meant that the Windies Women for the second straight WWT20 tournament were knocked out at the semifinal stage, leaving the Aussies to face long-standing arch-rivals England Women in the Final tomorrow. Left-arm spinner Shanel Daley and leg-spinner Shaquana Quintyne had finished with the identical figures of 2-23 from four overs, as the Windies Women’s slow bowlers gave their side a chance, when they strangled Australia’s batters with steady, if not spectacular bowling, restricting them to 115 for seven off 20 overs, after they chose to bat. The Windies Women however, suffered an early setback in their chase, when Australia strike bowler Elyse Perry bowled star batter Stafanie Taylor for three in the third over.

 

This started a wobble that saw the Windies Women lose their captain Merissa Aguilleira, talismanic batter Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle for 11 runs in the space of 17 deliveries, sinking them to 28 for four. Daley joined Nero and they brought some respectability back to the chase, but they could not escape the tight rein of the Australian bowlers. When Daley fell to Osborne in the 17th over, this sparked a slide and the Windies Women lost their last six wickets for 11 from 19 balls, as Perry ended with 2-19 from four overs and Erin Osborne 2-20 from four overs. (CMC)