Taylor fifty sees Windies Women avoid whitewash

NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – Former skipper Stafanie Taylor returned to form with her 38th One-Day International (ODI) half-century as West Indies Women avoided a clean sweep with a four-wicket win over New Zealand Women in the final ODI here Sunday.

Tasked with chasing 169 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, the home side survived a few stumbles to overhaul their target in the 44th over.

Taylor top-scored with 51 from 89 balls while captain Hayley Matthews struck 40 from 70 deliveries in her return to the top of the order, the two innings laying the foundation for the successful run chase.

Aaliyah Alleyne produced a breezy unbeaten 27 from 34 deliveries towards the end, to ensure West Indies Women ended an otherwise disappointing series on a high.

“If you look throughout the series the girls would’ve improved from game to game, which is some really good positives that we’re able to take out ,” said Matthews.

“We’re really happy we were able to wrap up the series with a win and hopefully this is the kind of form we can take into the T20 series coming up.”

Choosing to bat first, New Zealand Women were lifted to 168 all out in the penultimate over by Lauren Down’s top score of 53, the 27-year-old right-hander hitting three fours and a six in a 78-ball knock at number five.

The innings proved crucial after the visitors found themselves tottering on 19 for two in the sixth over. Player-of-the-Series Amelia Kerr, who punched 30 from 56 balls, put on 37 for the third wicket with Maddy Green (14) before Down controlled the middle overs.

She added 28 with Kerr for the fourth wicket before putting on a further 44 for the sixth wicket with Georgia Plimmer (17) but off-spinners Matthews (2-23) and Karishma Ramharack (2-28) pegged back the innings, New Zealand losing their last five wickets for 20 runs.

In reply, West Indies were also in early trouble at 10 for two in the third over before Taylor and her successor Matthews combined in an 81-run, third-wicket stand to repair the innings.

Taylor, with just 18 runs from her previous two innings, struck four fours while Matthews counted three fours.

The Jamaican retired in the 31st over after anchoring a 26-run, fourth-wicket stand with Rashada Williams (14) and when two wickets fell with the score on 117, West Indies Women were suddenly slumping at 117 for five in the 33rd over.

However, Alleyne struck two fours in a 31-run, sixth-wicket partnership with Chinelle Henry (12) to see off the challenge from the visitors.

The five-match Twenty20 series gets underway at the same venue on Wednesday.