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Stafanie Taylor leads from front as West Indies Women level series

by Manuj Sharma Sunday 6 March 2016

Stafanie Taylor (left) scored 63 for West Indies.

©REUTERS / Action Images

West Indies Women 143-6 (Taylor 63) beat
South Africa Women 98 (Kapp 17) by 45 runs
Second Twenty20 International in Johannesburg

Stafanie Taylor struck a fluent fifty and went on to take two wickets as West Indies Women posted a target of 144 runs and then bowled South Africa Women out for 98 runs, securing a 45-run victory in the second Twenty20 International in Durban, which helped the visitors level the series 1-1.

South Africa won the toss and opted to field first. Kycia Knight (4) and Hayley Matthews (1) were dismissed by Shabnim Ismail (3-25) in successive overs.

However, West Indies were rescued by a 68-run stand between Taylor (63) and Deandra Dottin (19). Taylor played a calculated innings and struck seven boundaries and a six in her 53-ball knock.

Assisted by a 14-ball cameo from Stacy-Ann King (24), West Indies were able to post a total of 143 for six in their 20 overs. Ismail was the pick of bowlers with three wickets.

South Africa were rattled early in the chase as Dane van Niekerk (5) and Lara Goodall (7) were dismissed inside the powerplay, at the end of which the hosts were placed at 30 for two.

Mignon du Preez (12) and Marizanne Kapp (17) offered some resistance but both of them were dismissed by Matthews (2-16) in the ninth over.

Except some resistance from Dinesha Devnarain (16) and Ismail (13), South Africa failed to put up a fight as Anisa Mohammad (2-12), Matthews and Taylor (2-17) shared six wickets equally to bowl the hosts out for 98 runs in 18.4 overs.

With this 45-run victory, West Indies managed to level the three-match series 1-1. Taylor was picked as the player of the match for her all-round display.