Sept. 24, 2020, 12:16 a.m.
Stafanie Taylor wrote her name into the history books tonight, becoming the second woman in the history of the sport to reach 3000 runs in the T20 International format, despite the West Indies women’s 47-runs loss to England Women in the second Vitality T20 International as part of the West Indies Women’s Tour of England 2020.
Taylor won the toss and elected to bowl first with an unchanged squad, as the weather forecast in Derby called for rain later in the evening. Shakera Selman removed the dangerous Tammy Beaumont in the powerplay, who in the first match notched a rapid half-century.
The cold conditions in Derby did nothing to aid the West Indies bowlers but that did not stop them from applying the pressure on England’s batters. The loss of two quick wickets- Nat Sciver stumped off Taylor for 8 and in the same over, Deandra Dottin teaming up with wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle accounted for the runout of Danielle Wyatt for 14. Amy Jones and England Captain Heather Knight consolidated the middle order for their team, after which Knight was dropped on 0 by Afy Fletcher.
Despite two expensive overs, Hayley Matthews picked up the quick-scoring Jones for 25. Afy Fletcher via Britney Cooper with a brilliant low catch removed the English captain Heather Knight for 17.
The cold seemed to have gotten the better of Shamilia Connell who in the nineteenth over was smashed for 19 runs. This allowed England to finish their innings on 151/8. Stafanie Taylor was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, finishing with figures of 2/12 from her fours overs, followed by Shakera Selman with 2/32 from her four.
Hayley Matthews started her innings looking unsettled and even called for the doctor at one point in the eight balls she faced for her three runs. She was deceived by Katherine Brunt and was caught at short extra cover.
In came the skipper Stafanie Taylor, eight runs short of the 3000-run milestone. Together with Deandra Dottin, the in-form pair looked to restart the run-chase. Taylor achieved her historical milestones in the eighth over, becoming the second woman in history and the first West Indies Woman to reach 3000 T20I runs.
Dottin continued her fearless batting from the first match as she walloped the England bowlers around the ground for 4-fours and a six. But on 38 and going for one too many sweeps against Sarah Glenn was trapped plumb LBW, with the score on 72 in the twelfth over.
The pressure then transferred to Taylor who was joined by Lee Ann Kirby and the virtual slide of wickets started. Kirby fell for one and the score went to 75/3 at the end of the thirteenth over. Taylor fell next, stumped for 28 with the score on 79 and the innings virtually ended there. As the West Indies Women finished their innings on 104/8, Shakera Selman and Afy Fletcher remained not out on 6 and 4 respectively. Mady Villiers was the pick of the England bowlers, taking 2/10 from three overs followed by Sophie Ecclestone with 2/19 from her four overs.
England take a 2-0 series lead with three matches remaining. The next match is on Saturday starting at 1:00pm BST or 8:00am Eastern Caribbean time, 7:00am Jamaica time.
-CWI
