West Indies bowlers responded once more after they bowled out South Africa for an embarrassing 76 in 18.4 overs.
Player of the match Stafanie Taylor had mesmerising figures of 4-12 in 3.4 overs to lead her team to a 31-run win against South Africa.
The matches played at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, have been low-scoring thrillers.
In the big clash between West Indies and South Africa, the trend continued when West Indies batted first and posted 107-7 in 20 overs.
South Africa, fresh from a victory in their first match at the same venue, opted to bowl first, inserting the West Indies team in to bat first.
The formidable opening pair of Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin took first strike hoping to lay a solid foundation for the middle-order batters. Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail continued where they left off in the first match with their deadly bowling spells.
Vice Captain Matthews (8) was the first to be dismissed after striking a dangerous shot over the third-man ropes for six.
Ismail did not stop her wicket-taking abilities flowing throughout her adrenaline as she picked up the prized scalp of Taylor, the West Indies Captain, for a golden duck.
The 30-year old South African pace queen removed Dottin as the Windies supporters were left in shock. With the score on 22-3, the Caribbean side were left in all sorts of bother as their top three batters failed to lay a solid foundation.
Guyanese middle-order batter Shemaine Campbell continued to waste her opportunities as she tried to cut a straight ball that went past her inside edge and disturbed her stumps for only seven runs.
The West Indies team were in need of a rescue from a dark night at 29-4 in the eighth over. Ironically, it was exciting prospects Kaciya Knight and Natasha McLean, who put together a 45-run partnership to help the defending champions recover.
South Africa’s bowlers bowled with control and removed McLean for 28 off 24 balls, which included three fours.
Knight, who was desperately trying to up the scoring rate, perished in the 19th over for the top-score of 32 from 36 deliveries, inclusive of two fours and two maximums. Chinelle Henry struggled to time the ball to perfection and ended with a 15-ball 8 and Afy Fletcher (3) saw the West Indies team crawling to a defendable 107-7 in 20 overs.
South Africa’s opening bowlers bowled one maiden each; Kapp created the opportunity with a number of dot balls and Ismail bowling from the other end was the better bowler with 3-12 in four overs and one maiden. The Proteas captain, Dane van Niekerk bowled three overs and picked up two wickets to restrict the explosive West Indies batting line-up.
The swashbuckling South African opener Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt began in cautious fashion with only 17 on the board in the fifth over. Wolvaardt was removed by Shakera Sekman in the fifth over for 8.Opening bowler Kapp, batting at number three for South Africa, joined Lee and the pair batted together until Lee was removed by Dottin for 24 in the 11th over.
The South Africans found difficulties chasing 108 as Dottin effected a run-out fielding at cover point with a direct hit. Taylor introduced herself and ripped the heart out of the South African middle order. The West Indies Captain removed Sune Luus and Mignon du Preez.
Then, South African required 49 off the final six overs as Kapp was standing between the West Indies and victory at that stage.
The Caribbean bowlers kept coming at their opponents as the match came down to the wire. Taylor, bowling the 17th over, hit the timber dismissing Chloe Tyron for six, leaving South Africa reeling at 75-6.
Connell returned for her final spell and struck with her first ball on her return, removing Kapp for 26. The South Africans’ only hope of winning was lost when Henry completed a brilliant catch to remove Kapp.
The defending champions West Indies were sharp in the field completing three run-outs as Taylor finished with four wickets and opening bowlers Selman and Connell had one wicket each as South Africa lost their last nine wickets for 28 runs. (Brandon Corlette)
