Dottin propels Barmy Army to victory, Matthews and Warriors fail to ignite

DUBAI (CMC):

DEANDRA DOTTIN played a supporting role to help Barmy Army win, fellow West Indies Women’s all-rounder Hayley Matthews played a background role and Warriors lost in the latest matches in the FairBreak Invitational Women’s Twenty20 on Tuesday.

Dottin turned in a tidy all-round performance to help spur Barmy Army to a six-run win over Sapphires in the nightcap match of a doubleheader at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The 30-year-old smashed five fours and one six in 28 from 17 balls to give Barmy Army early momentum, and they reached 148 for eight after they were put in to bat.

When Dottin became the first of 5-22 in four overs for Australian off-spinner and Player-of-the-Match Grace Harris, offering a return catch in the fifth over, Barmy Army were 40 for two.

They needed a top score of 65 off 45 balls from South Africa international Laura Wolvaardt to reach a respectable total.

Sapphires appeared to be coasting to victory, reaching 79 for two in the 11th over, but Bangladeshi leg-spinner Rumana Ahmed took 3-22 from her four overs to make them struggle the rest of the way.

Dottin, whose bowling for the Windies Women since shoulder injury last year has been very limited, bowled a full quota of four overs and took 1-29.

In the opening match, Matthews failed to take a wicket and conceded 33 from her four overs of off-spin, as Spirit reached 167 for four after they were sent in to bat.

FIRST WICKET

Thailand opener Natthakan Chanthan hit nine fours and one six in the top score of 72 from 57 balls for Spirit, and shared a string of tidy partnerships along the way, including 61 for the first wicket with Scottish opener Sarah Bryce.

Matthews made 21 and was one of only two batsmen to pass 20, and Warriors were restricted to 100 for eight.

England left-arm spinner Sarah Ecclestone ended with the flattering figures of 2-8 from three overs, as Spirit wrapped up their third successive win.

The wins for Spirit and Barmy Army kept them in the top two positions in the standings on 11 points from four matches each. Spirit have a superior net run rate of 1.238, however.

Sapphires have now lost three of their four matches and they are fifth on five points, and Warriors have lost all four of their matches and they are last on one point.

Of the other two teams i n the six-team tournament, Falcons are third on nine points and Tornadoes are fourth on seven points.