A clinical bowling and fielding exhibition against South Africa left the Windies Women needing just a victory over Sri Lanka tonight (Friday), to qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC World T20 that is currently taking place in St. Lucia.
The fashion in which the Windies women have defended so far, in this tournament will make any army chief happy, as they made 107 look like 200 on the night, bowling out South Africa for 76 to take a 31-run win that has propelled them to the top of Group A with four points from two matches.
Nothing less than a victory in their third matchat 8 pm at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground will ensure they finish in the 1-2 position to book a place in the semis. The defending champions defended 106 against Bangladesh in the first game and on Wednesday night their bowling juggernaut was at it again, cutting down the South Africans way short of their effort of 107 for seven wickets off their 20 overs.
With a crowd of around 4,000 on hand cheering on the Windies, they brought South Africa to their knees. The South Africans endured a collapse that saw them lose nine wickets for just 28 runs. They were well placed to take victory at 48 for one when a spark of brilliance from Deandra Dottin and Britney Cooper opened the gates.
Opener Lizelle Lee was going guns against the locals and looked as if she wanted to finish the match early. While she went about her work, the fans in the stands were silenced, as they watched their beloved Windies slip to defeat. The right-hander slashed Dottin towards the point boundary and Cooper in goalkeeper fashion leap to the left to pull down a brilliant catch, metres in front of the crowd in the main Johnson Charles stand. Lee left without glee for 24 runs off 34 balls with a six and a four.
Catches like that carry tremendous value and it was able to lift the Windies and they came roaring back. Skipper Stephanie Taylor a first ball duck when the Windies batted kept a positive outlook and marshalled her troops well. She injured her neck while stopping a full-blooded drive to cover and this would seem to bring out the best in her afterwards.
She took that while missile gathered herself went to the Southern end and the rest is history. He produced her career-best 4/12 to send the Africans sprawling. At one point 13 dreaded deliveries were sent down to the visitors in which they lost five wickets for four runs.
Earlier, one of the fastest female bowlers in the world Ismail Shabnim Ismail rocked the Windies top order. The right arm quick Ismail dismantled the top order before you could have sent an email, as Windies slipped to 29 for four. However, the saviour in the first game, keeper Kycia Knight and Natasha McLean rescued the Windies with a 48-run stand. McLean led the way with some bold strokes and made 28 off 24 balls with three fours. Knight followed her 32 against Bangladesh with 32 again off 36 balls with two sixes and two fours. Both fell towards the end and the Windies innings took a nosedive as they reached 107 for seven. Ismail was brilliant in taking 3/12, while skipper Dane van Neikerk took 2/8.
SCOREBOARD
Windies vs South Africa
Windies Innings
H Mathews c van Neikerk b Ismail*8
D Dottin c Luus b Ismail*12
S Taylor c Lee b Ismail*0
S Campbelle b Daniels*7
K Knight c Tryon b van Neikerk*32
N McLean c Sekhukune b Luus’28
B Cooper c Luus b van Neikerk*0
C Henry not out*8
A Fletcher not out*3
Extras*9
Total for 7 wkts*107
Fall of wkts: 9, 9, 22,
29, 74, 74, 97.
Bowling: M Kapp 4-0-20-0,
S Ismail 4-1-12-3,
M Daniels 4-0-23-1,
M Klass 2-0-12-0,
Sekhukune 1-0-15-0, v
an Neikerk 3-0-8-2,
Luus 2-0-13-1.
South Africa innings
L Lee c Cooper b Dottin*24
L Wolvaardt c Henry b Selman*8
M Kapp c Henry b Selman*26
D van Neikerk run out*1
S Luus c Connell b Taylor*2
M du Preez c McLean b Taylor*7
C Tryon c Taylor*6
S Ismail c Mathews b Taylor*1
M Klass run out*0
M Daniel not out*0
T Sekhukune run out*0
Extras*1
Total all out *18.4)*76
Fall of wkts: 17, 48, 50,
53, 64, 75, 75, 76, 76, 76.
Bowling: S Selman 4-0-19-1,
S Connell 4-0-9-1,
C Henry 3-0-9-0,
D Dottin 2-0-15-1,
S Taylor 3.4-0-12-4,
A Fletcher 2-0-12-0.
Result: Windies won by 31 runs.
Windies 2 pts, South Africa 0.
LATEST POINTS STANDINGS
GROUP A
Team*P*W*L*PTS*NRR
1. Windies*2*2*0*4*2.275
2. England*2*1*0*3*2.799
3. Sri Lanka*3*1*1*3*0.381
4. South Africa*2*1*1*2*-0.527
5. Bangladesh*3*0*3*0*-2.162