England completed a clean sweep against West Indies after cruising to a nine-wicket winin a rain-reduced third one-day international at Taunton. Nat Sciver-Brunt scored an unbeaten half-century to continue a successful start as captain, smashing back-to-back boundaries to seal the win inside 11 overs.
With the West Indies captain, Hayley Matthews, sidelined with a shoulder injury, England made short work of West Indies’ top-order, reducing them to four for three in the opening four overs after opting to bowl in overcast conditions.
West Indies recovered to 43 for three when rain forced the players from the field for what turned into a five-hour delay and reduced the match to 21 overs a side.
When play resumed, West Indies rewarded the remnants of the Somerset crowd with some fireworks – hammering 39 runs from their final three overs – but Sarah Glenn bagged three wickets on her return to the one-day side, as England restricted their opponents to 106 for eight.
England rejigged their batting lineup, enabling the middle-order a chance to join in the series run-fest. Opening alongside the captain, Sophia Dunkley contributed 26 runs before being trapped leg-before by Karishma Ramharack, while Alice Capsey struck a quickfire 20 from 11 balls at No 3 as England stormed to victory.
England’s bowlers took advantage of overcast conditions to strike three times before the rain delay. Realeanna Grimmond nicked off against Kate Cross, while Em Arlott – who was tasked with opening the bowling alongside Cross after England rested Lauren Bell – took wickets in successive overs, dipping the ball into the stumps of Zaida James before swinging the ball past the bat of Stafanie Taylor and into her front pad.
Short balls from Arlott and Lauren Filer felled the next two batters: Shemaine Campbelle was struck in the ribs by Arlott before Qiana Joseph swung so hard at a Filer bouncer that she propelled herself to the ground and was lucky not to be out hit wicket.
Charlie Dean let a caught and bowled chance off Campbelle slip through her fingers just before the rain came, but the West Indies stand-in captain was stumped off the first ball after the resumption trying to hurry things along, as three wickets fell in quick succession to leave the tourists in trouble.
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Aaliyah Alleyne smashed 20 runs off the penultimate over from Filer, twice top-edging over the head of the wicketkeeper, Amy Jones,, while Jahzara Claxton sent the ball sailing over the midwicket boundary, adjacent to a jubilant West Indian dugout. It was, at least, something to cheer about in a tour that has offered little joy for the visitors.
England’s next assignment will be five T20s and three one-day internationals against India, starting at Nottingham on 28 June. West Indies fly straight to Barbados for a home series against South Africa in just four days’ time.
