Sophia Dunkley guides England Women to victory in first West Indies T20I

CANTERBURY: Sophia Dunkley smashed an unbeaten 87 to help England Women to defeat West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I despite a fine century from Hayley Matthews.

This was England Women’s first victory under their new coach-captain combination of Charlotte Edwards and Nat Sciver-Brunt.

Matthews was awarded Player of the Match for her ton, brought up off the final ball of her team’s innings, taking them to 146-7. The West Indies captain’s innings contributed a staggering 68.49% of her team’s total.

But Dunkley was in no mood to let that be a game-winning effort, compiling a career-best 81 not out as England Women chased down the total for the loss of just two wickets.

Earlier, in the face of Matthews’ sparkling knock, England’s bowlers had all contributed.

All-rounder Em Arlott took her maiden international wicket on debut, with Hampshire spinner Linsey Smith probably the stand-out performer with a parsimonious 1-18 from her four overs.

Dunkley, who was ably supported by Heather Knight in a third-wicket partnership of 94, hit the winning runs to take England Women home and put them 1-0 up in the T20I series.

Schedule

1st T20I: 21 May – England Women won by eight wickets
2nd T20I: 23 May – The 1st Central County Ground, Hove
3rd T20I: 26 May – The Cloud County Ground, Chelmsford

1st ODI: 30 May – The County Ground, Derby
2nd ODI: 4 June – Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicester
3rd ODI: 7 June – Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton BST

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