Matthews, Taylor shine but WI Women lose
Spurs fighting for their play-off lives
Teenage opener Hayley Matthews and captain Stafanie Taylor stroked half-centuries but West Indies Women lost momentum late in their run chase and slipped to an eight-run defeat in the opening Twenty20 International on Wednesday.
In pursuit of a competitive 168 at Bay Oval, Windies Women came up short at 159 for six off their 20 overs, despite an attacking 53 from Matthews and an unbeaten 51 from Taylor.
The Caribbean side started the final over requiring 13 runs for victory, but experienced seamer Sophie Devine, who ended with two for 27, kept Akeira Peters scoreless from the first three deliveries before conceding just fours runs from the over.
Sent in, the White Ferns had earlier posted 167 for six off their allotted overs, with wicketkeeper/batsman Katey Martin top-scoring with a fluent 54, captain Suzie Bates getting 49, and Amy Sattherhwaite, 36.
Devine perished early in the second over, top-edging speedster Shamilia Connell to mid-on for six with 15 on the board, but Martin and Bates combined in a 76-run, second-wicket stand to bolster the innings.
This is the worst season for the San Antonio Spurs in the last 21 years. They’re on pace for only 46 wins. ONLY 46 wins. That’s a season fans in other many cities would celebrate wildly. Philadelphia have not won 46 games since 2002-03, Minnesota not since 2003-04, Sacramento not since 2004-05. Detroit haven’t had a 46-win season in the last decade. The Knicks have one in the last 17 seasons. Milwaukee reached it once in the last 16 seasons entering this year. Charlotte, once in the last 15 seasons. The Nets, once in the last 12 seasons.
But this is San Antonio, the silver-andblack standard for the league, where winning
When Bates top-edged a sweep at legspinner Afy Fletcher and was taken at short fine leg in the 12th over, Satterhwaite joined Martin to put on a further 52 for the third and frustrate the Windies bowlers.
Satterthwaite smashed six fours off just 19 balls before top-edging a heave at medium pacer Deandra Dottin (2-27) to be caught by wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira running around to silly mid-on.
Martin followed in the 18th over, holing out to deep backward square off offspinner Anisa Mohammed.
Windies Women play their second match at the same venue on Friday. 55 or 60 games and making a deep play-off run is considered as much of an annual rite as the rodeo and the Texas Folklife Festival. And even after a blowout win over Orlando on Tuesday night, the Spurs (38-30) are still on the outside of the play-off picture in the Western Conference.
No need to panic just yet. The Spurs are a mere one game in the loss column behind Oklahoma City, who are holding the No. 4 seed right now. Still, this is a most unusual situation for San Antonio.
“Everybody tries to be the best they can by play-off time,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “That’ll be our goal too, to be in the play-offs and be as good as we can possibly be.”