West Indies women, led by an outstanding all-round display from star player Stafanie Taylor, stunned error-prone England in a 42-run victory in game four yesterday at Sabina Park in Kingston, to level the five-match One-Day International series at 2-2.
After batting first, the hosts made a challenging 223-6 off their allotted 50 overs thanks to a polished knock of 84 runs from 25-year-old Taylor, the West Indies captain.
England were steady if not overly impressive with the ball, but the team was guilty of putting down no fewer than four chances while in the field. There was also a stumping opportunity missed by the normally alert wicketkeeper Amy Jones.
In response, England women, who were coasting at 133-1 at one stage, were unravelled for 181 all out with five overs and four balls yet to be bowled.
England openers Tammy Beaumont and Lauren Winfield made 57 and 51, respectively, in a first-wicket stand of 95, but an alarming number of five run-outs was the visitors’ undoing.
Taylor, smartly varying her off-break deliveries, took 3-22. Her swooping pickup and underarm throw to run out England’s number 10 batter, Laura Marsh, with a direct hit was the icing on the cake.
Scores: West Indies 223-6 (50 overs); England 181 (44.2 overs).
West Indies women, who are rebounding for the second time over the last week after previously losing at Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium and again at the venue in Kingston, can snatch the series with a win in game five at Sabina Park on Wednesday.
An interesting fact going into that final encounter is that all matches have so far been won by the side batting first.
Both teams are battling for vital points towards qualification for the ICC Women’s ODI Championship to be staged next year by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The last three matches of this series offers championship points.
Yesterday, West Indies won the toss and expectedly chose to take first strike in sunny conditions on a pitch that held a tinge of mostly brown grass.
Hayley Matthews, who is yet to fire this series, was brilliantly caught by Winfield low at gully off medium-pacer Natalie Sciver for only nine with the West Indies 12-1.
Matthews’ opening partner Shaquana Quintyne, who made 41, and Taylor shared in a second-wicket stand worth 69 runs to set the West Indies back on track.
Quintyne was dismissed when she attempted a slog sweep to the off-spin of England skipper Heather Knight and was caught in the deep by Danielle Wyatt, who ran around smartly on the boundary.
The Taylor/Deandra Dottin partnership was always going to be key.
But after adding a brisk 36 runs, the two were separated via the run-out route. It happened when a mix-up between the two left Dottin, who was dropped on two, stranded down the middle of the pitch. The stockily built player made 18.
An entertaining 45-run stand for the fourth wicket ensued between Taylor and former skipper Merissa Aguilleira, who survived thanks to a mis-stumping and a dropped chance early in her innings.
While Taylor was pleasing on the eye with classical cricket shots off the front and back foot, Aguilleira brought excitement with a flurry of swashbuckling shots.
Aguilleira, the West Indies wicketkeeper, provided much needed impetus to the innings with a 33-ball 32 before she was dismissed going for another big hit.
Taylor chipped down the pitch and lofted her opposite number Knight for a six over long-on — arguably the shot of the innings — which brought her to 81.
Struggling with what appeared to be a right hamstring concern, Taylor was eventually dismissed going for a loft off pacer Jenny Gunn and was caught in the cover region by Knight to end the 48th over. She hit six fours and two sixes off 129 balls.
England got the best possible start from their openers.
However, Winfield, on 26, was lucky to be given not out after the bowler Fletcher deflected a straight drive onto the stumps. Umpire Jacqueline Williams ruled not out, but replays showed Winfield’s bat was still in the air when the ball dislodged the bails.
Beaumont, who was unconvincing in three previous matches, was busy with shots all around the wicket.
The pint-sized opener, who played a few crisp drives over cover, unfurled one such stroke for a boundary to bring up an entertaining half-century. But Taylor, soon after, had her caught and bowled. She faced 64 deliveries and hit eight fours and a six.
Winfield, who made 79 in game three, was then run out for 51.
And Natalie Sciver, who made an aggressive 50 in the last game, went for three as West Indies fought back into the encounter.
Confusion between Knight and Wyatt over a quick single saw both almost left half way down the pitch. The throw went to Wyatt end’s and the bails were whipped off way before she could regain her ground as England fell to 137-4 in the 30th over.
Six more wickets fell, including three additional run outs, and England appeared to lose the plot.
Vital among those was England captain Heather Knight, who batted at number three.
She was sent back to the pavilion when Taylor, who bowled excellent tight lines throughout the innings, had her caught and bowled for 36.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES WOMEN
H Matthews c Winfield b Sciver 8
S Quintyne c Wyatt b Knight 41
*S Taylor c Knight b Gunn 85
D Dottin run out 18
+M Aguilleira c Knight b Marsh 32
B Cooper lbw b Brunt 9
S Campbelle not out 9
S King not out 9
Extras (lb3, w8, nb1) 12
TOTAL (6 wkts, 50 overs) 223
Did not bat: A Fletcher, A Mohammed, S Connell
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Matthews, 3.4 overs), 2-81 (Quintyne, 23.2), 3-117
(Dottin, 30.1), 4-162 (Aguilleira, 40), 5-193 (Cooper, 45), 6-209 (Taylor, 48)
Bowling: Brunt 10-0-40-1 (nb1), Sciver 4-0-14-1 (w1), Gunn 8-1-34-1 (w4),
Marsh 10-1-46-1, Hartley 8-0-41-0 (w1), Knight 6-1-35-1, Elwiss 4-0-10-0 (w1)
ENGLAND WOMEN
L Winfield run out 51
T Beaumont c & b Taylor 57
*H Knight c & b Taylor 36
N Sciver c King b Taylor 3
D Wyatt run out 0
G Elwiss run out 9
+A Jones lbw b Matthews 0
K Brunt run out 1
J Gunn c Quintyne b Matthews 0
L Marsh run out 13
A Hartley not out 0
Extras (b2, lb2, w7) 11
TOTAL (all out; 44.2 overs) 181
Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Beaumont, 19.1 overs), 2-133 (Winfield, 28.2), 3-137 (Sciver, 29.1), 4-137 (Wyatt, 29.5), 5-161 (Elwiss, 36.3), 6-161 (Jones, 37), 7-164 (Brunt, 38), 8-165 (Knight, 39.3), 9-172 (Gunn, 42.1), 10-181 (Marsh, 44.2)
Bowling: Connell 3-0-17-0 (w1), Dottin 6-0-32-0 (w5), Taylor 10-1-22-3, Matthews 7.2-1-25-2, Fletcher 7-0-28-0, Mohammed 5-0-26-0, Quintyne 6-0-27-0
Result: West Indies won by 42 runs
Series: Five-match series tied 2-2
Points: West Indies 2, England 0
Toss: West Indies Women
Umpires: G Brathwaite, J Williams