West Indies, Australia reach semis of women’s World T20

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BASSETERRE - West Indies sent defending champions and tournament favorites England crashing out of the Women’s World Twenty20 with an exciting last-over victory and stormed into the semi-finals.

Defending a total of 122 runs, the hosts made a dramatic comeback here Friday and took England’s last nine wickets for 55 runs to stop them at 120 for nine in 20 overs. The wickets were shared between Shermaine Campbelle (2-15), Deandra Dottin (2-31) and Anisa Mohammed (2-9), who was named player of the match.

Australia was the other team to secure a place in the last four from Group A following a 24-run victory over South Africa in the first game of the day at Warner Park, with all-rounder Shelley Nitschke leading from the front.

Nitschke was the top scorer in Australia’s total of 155 and later took two wickets as South Africa finished at 131 for seven in 20 over.

But it was the West Indies who stole the show with their win coming in front of a large crowd cheering for the home team.

England lost to Australia in the group’s first match that was decided in countback to 6’s after both teams were locked in the regulation time and Super Over eliminator. They had to beat the West Indies to stay alive in the competition.

Put in to bat, West Indies made a slow start against some good English bowling with opener Juliana Nero scoring 32 off 40 balls. The home team lost wickets at regular interval before Britney Cooper smashed 20 off 14 balls coupled with some useful lower order contribution to take them to 122-8 in 20 overs.

Laura Marsh took 3-17 and Jenny Gunn 2-10.

England got off to a bright start with captain Charlotte Edwards (33) and Sarah Taylor (31) adding 65 runs in nine overs. But off-spinner Anisa Mohammed dismissed both off successive balls to trigger a collapse.

West Indies bowlers put the pressure on England batters. Fast bowlers Dottin and Campbelle ran through the middle order.

In the tense final over, Nicky Shaw stumped off spinner Stafanie Taylor before Katherine Brunt was run out off the last ball of the game. Lydia Greenway finished unbeaten on 26 from 26 balls.

“It feels great to reach the semi-finals. The batters did their job by putting 122 runs on the board and the bowlers needed to come good today. It feels great to have gotten the breakthrough for us go onto win the match and make the semis,” said Mohammed.

England captain Edwards was disappointed with her side’s performance in the tournament. “The middle-order didn’t compose itself well enough. The batters didn’t take their time and just hit the ball around.

“A lot of credit has to go to the West Indies as I thought they bowled really well in periods and some loose shots means the pressure builds up in Twenty20 and time runs out in the end.”

In the first match of the day, Australia made a fantastic start to their innings after being put in to bat by South Africa captain Cri-Zelda Brits. Alongside Nitschke, Leah Poulton made a quickfire 39 off 25 balls and Jess Cameron, the star of Australia side’s victory over England, struck 27 runs off 18 balls.

South Africa’s Sunette Loubser (3-22) and Shabnim Ismael (3-30) were the pick of the bowlers while Brits, Angelique Taai and Loubser showed quick reflexes with each running out an Australia player during the innings.

South Africa’s batting line-up did not provide much entertainment despite a valiant effort by number-three batter Mignon du Preez who struck an unbeaten 53 that included four fours and two sixes.

“It’s obviously good to know we’re in the semi-finals but we can’t lose focus. We still have the West Indies to play on Sunday and we’d like to make a clean sweep on way to the semis,” said Nitschke.