BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – STAFANIE TAYLOR starred with the bat for West Indies on Saturday (Apr. 24) at St. Mary’s Park in Cayon as they swept their three game Twenty20 warm-up series against Sri Lanka.
The visitors struck early when Sripali Weerakkody dismissed Pamela Lavine in the first over for 4, but Taylor answered back with a quick partnership between herself and Juliana Nero.
The duo stood for the next eight overs and picked up 40 runs before Weerakkody once again stepped in and caught Nero with medium pace for 25 from 35 balls. This was followed up with Deandra Dottin’s dismissal for six and West Indies stood precariously at 3-55.
The host’s remaining batswomen had little reply for the Sri Lankan bowling effort, as Anisa Mohammed topped the bottom with five runs off of five balls. Taylor, however, maintained her composure through the lack of support and ended her day at 58 from 50 balls with six fours and one six.
Sri Lanka seemed poised to easily reach West Indies’ total of 112 from their 20 overs as Dedunu Silva and Chamari Atapattu opened their turn in the crease with a 40-run partnership in the first six overs. However, once Silva was run out by Dottin the wickets came free and easy for the West Indies women.
Shanel Daley starred at the top of the batting order as she picked up 3 for 13, all of whom were stumped by wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle.
Anisa Mohammed then once again demonstrated that her right-hand offbreak is going to prove invaluable on the Caribbean pitches in the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 tournament. The Trinidadian had 4 for 9 from 3.2 overs and left Sri Lanka with a 28-run defeat.
While the match was an improvement over the first two encounters with West Indies in St. Kitts, which resulted in six and three wicket losses respectively, it still showed that the bowling combination of Daley and Mohammed is one to be watched next week when the WT20 begins at Warner Park next week.
The women will continue their preparations for the tournament today (Apr. 26) at the Edgar Gilbert Sporting Complex when they take on Pakistan in the first of three Twenty20 matches.
