Fast bowler Shakera Selman sent down consecutive no-balls off the last two balls of the game to hand England Women an anticlimactic three-wicket victory in a five-over affair, as West Indies slumped to their third consecutive series whitewash in Twenty20 Internationals on Wednesday.
After rain delayed the start of the contest at County Ground by 2-½ hours, West Indies scraped 41 for three off their reduced overs with captain Stafanie Taylor hitting two fours in an unbeaten 15 from 14 balls.
In reply, fast bowler Shamilia Connell snatched three for 14 from two overs to earn Player-of-the-Match honours, an effort that left England with seven runs to get off the last six balls of the game.
Sarah Glenn (8) scampered two of the first ball but she and Fran Wilson (1) then perished via the run-out route off the next two deliveries, setting the game up for a tantalizing finish.
But Selman then sent down a front-foot no-ball – her second of the innings – as Sophie Ecclestone (1 not out) sprinted a quick single. And with one run required from the last three balls, Selman shockingly bowled a high full toss to put England over the line.
The manner of defeat summed up West Indies’ wretched campaign where they lost all five T20 Internationals by significant margins.
For the Caribbean side, the series defeat was their second 5-0 whitewash following their hammering at the hands of Australia last November, and they have now lost all of their last 13 T20 Internationals.
Playing amid frigid 10 degree Celsius temperatures, West Indies got a bright start when Deandra Dottin (11) blasted a four and a six off the first over from seamer Freya Davies before skying to mid-on.
West Indies then went without a single boundary from the next two overs until Taylor gathered two streaky back-to-back fours off the last two balls of the penultimate over from seamer Katherine Brunt.
And the final over from left-arm spinner Ecclestone was a tight one until Natasha McLean blasted the final delivery for an enormous six over mid-wicket.
West Indies had their sights on a possible victory when Connell knocked over captain Heather Knight (4) and Amy Jones (0) in the opening over, while conceding only five runs.
But Selman released the pressure in the second over, giving up two boundaries and a no-ball and though she prised out Tammy Beaumont for nine, the over still leaked 13 runs.
Two wickets tumbled in the third over from Connell – Natalie Sciver run out for seven and Katherine Brunt (2) brilliantly taken at cover by Taylor diving to her left – and when Dottin conceded eight from the penultimate over, it meant England were in pole position for the win.
CMC
