Revival in St. Lucia
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup currently being hosted by the West Indies has reached the semi-final stage with the two matches scheduled for tomorrow in Antigua. The hosts, who are the defending champions will meet Australia in the first game, while England face India in the other encounter.
The West Indies opened the tournament with a victory over Bangladesh by 60 runs in a low scoring affair in the night cap of a triple header at the National Stadium at Providence on the 9th November. The hosts soon found themselves in trouble at 18 for 3 with the heart of the top order gone. However, Skipper Stafanie Taylor’s 29 and Kycia Knight’s 32 from the number seven slot carried the team’s total pass the hundred mark to 106 for 8 from the allotted overs.
Bangladesh lost their first wicket off the last ball of the first over and never recovered thereafter. The introduction of the fourth bowler, the diminutive all-rounder Deandra Dottin, literally sealed their fate. In an inspired fiery spell of fast bowling Dottin snatched five wickets for five runs, clean bowling four batters, as Bangladesh surrendered from 29 for three to 37 for eight. The businesslike approach of the West Indians in the field as they defended their low score was a sign of things to come.
The hosts then moved on to the Daren Sammy Stadium at Gros Islet, St. Lucia for their next three matches. First up were the South Africans, who restricted the defending champs to 107 for seven, as Shabnim Ismail reduced the top order of the line-up to 29 for four, before Knight, 32 and Natasha Mclean, 29, added 45 precious runs for the fifth wicket. With a packed house providing loud vocal encouragement, the hosts led by their Skipper took the fight to their worthy opponents.
Taylor, introduced herself as the fifth change and in an inspired spell of bowling, supported by superb fielding (inclusive of three runouts), oversaw the demise of the South Africans from the commanding position of 48 for one to 76 all out, as the hosts stole an unlikely victory by 31 runs. Taylor’s four for 12 with her off-spinners was a career best performance.
Last Friday night the West Indians scored an emphatic victory over their Sri Lankan counterparts by 83 runs, as Hayley Matthews proved a nightmare for the visitors. Firstly, opening the batting, she hammered 62, inclusive of eight boundaries and two sixes, out of an imposing score of 187 for five, and then returned with the ball to take three wickets, as six of seven West Indian bowlers got a wicket. The win secured a semifinal place for the hosts.
On Sunday, in a day/night encounter, before another packed house of St. Lucians screaming their support for the Caribbean representatives, the hosts took on their fellow unbeaten group counterparts, England. Taylor won the toss and invited England to take first knock. England soon found themselves in trouble at two for the loss of an early wicket, and a steady procession to the dressing room looked likely to reduce them to an embarrassing total of less than a hundred. After being 50 for six, England recovered somewhat to 115 for eight, due in the main to a seventh wicket stand of 58 by Sophia Dunkley, 35 and Anya Shrubsole, 29, who batted rather responsibly.
Mid-range totals, such as the one posted by the English, can prove to be quite tricky for the chasers. Shrubsole, in her opening over, comprehensively clean bowled Matthews and Taylor, as the hosts were left floundering on three for two. Cheered by the boisterous home crowd, Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle applied themselves in a gritty third wicket stand of 68 to lay the foundation for a nailbiting finish.
As the final over commenced, the hosts required five runs, and duly got them, to win by four wickets, as Knight calmly stroked a boundary off Shrubsole’s third delivery through point, following two scrambled leg-byes and Campbelle’s dismissal.
The West Indian women cricketers over the past two weeks have led a revival of a spirit of belief and pride in our cricket. They have played the game with amazing enthusiasm and team spirit. Their fielding has been of the highest professional quality and an absolute joy to watch. They have defended two low scores, put together a big total and chased a difficult target on a tricky wicket against a very good opponent.
Let’s not forget the support of the St. Lucians who packed the stadium and relentlessly cheered the Caribbean women cricketers. Let’s hope the West Indian men were watching and taking notes on the way their fellow West Indians have approached the defending of their title.
Can the West Indians repeat as World T20 Champs? Will this revival of West Indian spirit of belief and pride emerge in the men’s game? We are anxiously waiting.