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Aggressive England race to T20 World Cup win against West Indies
England's batters made light of a potentially challenging target to secure a seven-wicket win against the West Indies in their Women's T20 World Cup match at Boland Park in Paarl on Saturday.
Set to make 136 to win, England raced to victory with 5.3 overs to spare.
Opener Sophia Dunkley set the tone, pounding 34 off 18 balls before falling to a spectacular catch off her own bowling by Chinelle Henry. The West Indian fast bowler clutched on to a full-blooded drive while following through.
Dunkley and Danni Wyatt (11) put on 37 in 3.3 overs for the first wicket. Alice Capsey, recovered from a broken collarbone, made a quick 13 before Nat Sciver-Brunt (40 not out) and captain Heather Knight (32 not out) completed the win with an unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 67.
West Indies chose to bat in scorching heat of up to 38 degrees Celsius. They posted 135 for seven with captain Hayley Matthews hitting 42 off 32 balls, including eight fours.
Matthews dominated an opening stand of 47 with fit-again Stafanie Taylor, who made only three.
Shemaine Campbelle also batted brightly in making 34 off 37 as the England bowlers and fielders had to contend with an afternoon match.
Left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone was England’s most successful bowler, taking three for 23, with two of her wickets falling in the penultimate over as batters attempted ambitious strokes.
Brief scores:
West Indies 135-7 in 20 overs (H Matthews 42, S Campbelle 34; S Ecclestone 3-23)
England 138-3 in 14.3 overs (N Sciver-Brunt 40 not out, S Dunkley 34, H Knight 32 not out; C Henry 2-30)
Result: England won by seven wickets
Toss: West Indies
O. Karlsson--BTZ
