Days removed from their win over New Zealand, the West Indies’ women cricket team pulled off another upset win over the defending World Champions England at University Oval in Dunedin.
England, meanwhile, suffered their second straight defeat in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and now have a tall task of climbing back into contention for the Semi-final spots.
Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin provided a brilliant start for the West Indies. Matthews made 45 and Dottin added 31 runs in an 81-run opening partnership which set the West Indies on course for a good total as they batted first after winning the toss.
They were reduced from 81-0 to 98-4 by an English comeback before a stand of 123 between Shemaine Campbelle and Chedean Nation lifted them to 225-6.
England engineered their own downfall by missing six chances in the field, conceding 23 runs in wides, then making a mess of a 226 runs chase.
Facing what would have been their highest successful chase in a World Cup match, England struggled on a wearing pitch.
After slipping to 94-5, they were first revived by a stand of 60 between Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley then, after three wickets fell for two runs, Kate Cross and Sophie Ecclestone put on a ninth-wicket stand of 61 to bring the finishing line in sight, only for Cross to be run out with the defending champions needing nine runs of 18 balls.
Cross was run out when Ecclestone’s drive hit Mohammed’s fingers en route to the non-striker’s stumps, with Cross out of her ground. Three balls later, West Indies women sealed the win as England were bowled out for 218 in 47.4 overs
England will have to make amends in a huge game against second-ranked South Africa coming up next Monday. Whereas West Indies firmly have the Semi-Final spot in sight.
