West Indies women sweep ODI series
West Indies skipper Stefanie Taylor produced another telling all-round performance as the female West Indies team pulled off a comfortable 40-run win in the final One-Day International to sweep their three-match series against Sri Lanka Women on Sunday.
Taylor top score with 55 runs
Sent in at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, the West Indies women rallied to 182 for eight off their 45 overs, with Taylor stroking a top score of 55, opener Hayley Matthews getting 41 and former captain Merissa Aguilleira gathering an unbeaten 37.
Off-spinner Shashikala Siriwardene was the best bowler with three for 26 while left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera supported with two for 24.
Taylor then proved her worth in gold with the ball, snatching three for 29 with her off-spin to send the visitors crashing to 142 all out in the 41st over.
Fast bowler Shakera Selman also struck form, grabbing three for 30.
Dilani Manodara top-scored with 42 with Rebeca Vandort scoring 34.
Windies overcome early setback
In a contest reduced to 45 overs per side, the West Indies women suffered an early setback when Kycia Knight was dismissed cheaply for five runs with the score on eight in the fourth over.
However, Taylor and Matthews then came together in an 83-run, second wicket stand to prevent the possibility of collapse.
The right-handed Taylor faced 82 balls and struck seven boundaries while Matthews, also a right-hander, struck four fours in a 75-ball stay at the wicket.
Matthews’s dismissal triggered a slide that saw four wickets fall for 30 runs and it took a 29-run sixth wicket partnership between Aguilleira and Kyshona Knight (14) to rally the innings, and secure victory.
