STUNNING OPENER

West Indies Women shocked host New Zealand in their opening World Cup match in a thrilling three-wicket run victory last Thursday night at Mount Maintain, Tauranga, New Zealand.

West Indies all-rounder Haley Matthews stroked a career best century and veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin snatched two wickets and pulled off a run-rout in a dramatic last over, to beat the hosts by three runs in a sensational opener of the ICC Women World Cup

Player-of-the-Match Matthews superb 119 off 128 deliveries propelled the West Indies team to piled up 259 off their 50 overs, after the team was asked to bat first at Bay Oval.

Tottering on 256 for nine and requiring four runs from two balls, New Zealand suffered heartbreak when Hannah Rowe missed a swipe at the fifth delivery and Fran Jones charged down the pitch attempting to steal a single, wicketkeeper Shermaine Campbell relayed the ball to captain Dottin who broke the stumps at the non-strikers end with Jonas well short of her ground.

However, lion-hearted Dottin snatched the ball for her first bowl in nearly six months, to inflict the mortal blow on the host’s run chase to win from the last over.