Gros Islet (Saint Lucia): The West Indies Women took a 1-0 lead in the three-match Women’s One-Day International series, defeating Ireland by 58 runs at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground here.
Winning the toss and batting first, West Indies posted 297/6 in 50 overs as captain Hayley Matthews led the West Indies scoring, striking her fourth ODI century 109 (off 107 balls, 10×4,2×6).
Stafanie Taylor notched her 40th half-century in scoring 55 (68 balls, 4×4) and Chinelle Henry brought up her maiden ODI fifty in 38 deliveries (7×4) as the West Indies posted a challenging total. Stafanie Taylor is now third on the list of women players with the most ODI half-centuries behind Mithali Raj (71) of India and England’s Charlotte Edwards (55).
Cara Murray was the pick of the Irish bowlers, with figures of 10-0-60-3 while Ava Canning (1-33), Arlene Kelly (1-46) and Sophie MacMahon (1-30) were the other wicket-takers.
Hayley Matthews then returned with the ball to scalp 3-53 in 10 overs while Afy Fletcher claimed 2-49 and Qiana Joseph 2-53 assisted as the West Indies spun the Irish batter into a web.
Ireland reached 238/9 in their fifty overs, Gaby Lewis 83 (100) and skipper Laura Delany 40 (53) were their top run-getters. Orla Prendergast contributed 37 runs but in the end, Ireland fell short by a big margin.
Brief scores:
West Indies Women 297/6 in 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 109, Stafanie Taylor 55, Chinelle Henry 53 not out; Cara Murray 3-60) defeated Ireland Women 239/9 in 50 overs (Gaby Lewis 83, Laura Delany 40; Hayley Matthews 3-53, Afy Fletcher 2-49, Qiana Joseph 2-53) by 58 runs.
–IANS