By David Harris
An outstanding performance with the bat and ball by captain Hayley Matthews was not enough to prevent the West Indies Women from losing the third T20I in the International series against England by 17 runs at the County Ground, Chelmsford on Monday; and being whitewashed in the series.
Chasing 145 runs to win the match, the West Indies were restricted to 127 runs for eight wickets. Matthews scored 71 runs including 11 fours and a six while Realeanna Grimmond and Shabika Gajnabi contributed 15 and 14 runs respectively.
Fast bowler Laureen Bell picked up two wickets for 11 runs from four parsimonious overs, medium pacer Emily Arlott, off-spinner Charlottle Dean and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith also took two wickets.
England scored 144 for five wickets after the West Indies won the toss and decided to field, Heather Knight made 67 not out and newly appointed captain Nat Sciver-Brunt contributed 37. Matthew captured three wickets for 32 runs with her off-spin.
The West Indies badly beaten by their host in the three-match series, they slumped to eight-and nine -wickets losses in the first two T20Is. The regional team appear to be a one –woman team at the moment, Matthews the player of series scored 177, more than all her teammates put together.
In the first T20I Matthews scored an unbeaten century out of the West Indies score of 146, in addition to her outstanding batting, Matthew captured four wickets in the series.
The two teams will now play a three-match One Day International series which will begin on May 30th.
