Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, and Pooja Vastrakar were the standout performers as India defeated West Indies by 81 runs in their second warm-up fixture ahead of the upcoming 50-over World Cup here at the Rangiora Oval on Tuesday.
Chasing 259, West Indies got off to a bad start as the side lost opening batter Deandra Dottin (1) in the fourth over bowled by Meghna Singh. Aaliyah Alleyne (12) and Stafanie Taylor (8) were then sent back to the pavilion by Pooja Vastrakar and Windies were reduced to 43/3 in the 17th over. Hayley Matthews (44) and Shemaine Campbelle (63) revived the Windies innings as the duo put on 69 runs for the fifth wicket, however, this stand came to an end in the 38th over as Meghna Singh dismissed Matthews, reducing Windies to 122/5.
West Indies then was not able to recover as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and in the end, India registered an 81-run win.
Earlier, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma played knocks of 66 and 51 as India posted 258 runs on the board. Yastika Bhatia and Mithali Raj also chipped in with knocks of 42 and 30.
For West Indies, Hayley Matthews, Cherry-Ann Fraser and Karishma Ramharack returned with two wickets each.
Brief Scores: India 258 all out (Smriti Mandhana 66, Deepti Sharma 51; Cherry-Ann Fraser 2-24); West Indies 177/9 (Shemaine Campbelle 63, Hayley Matthews 44; Pooja Vastrakar 3-21).
In another fixture, New Zealand’s top-order had Australia rattled at Lincoln Green, with Sophie Devine leading the way in a chase of 322 in a warm-up fixture ahead of the 50-over World Cup on Tuesday.
Devine sent an ominous warning to the rest of the field, finishing with an unbeaten 161 from just 117 balls, chasing down the mammoth target inside 44 overs. While Australia captain Meg Lanning tried and tested nine of her chargers with the ball, no bowler was able to stem the flow of runs.
Alana King (1/48) claimed the only wicket for the Aussies, removing Suzie Bates (63), who had already set the chase up for the White Ferns with her captain.
Devine was joined by Amelia Kerr (92* from 75 balls), as the tournament hosts bludgeoned astonishing 48 boundaries.
Earlier, Hannah Rowe’s 4/49 (10) was an outlier in a batting-heavy day of action, ruining Australia’s middle order charge in the death overs. Rowe removed Tahlia McGrath for a duck, and curtailed Ash Gardner’s charge, albeit after making 60 from 32 balls.
Australia fell three balls short of batting their allotted overs, posting 321. Six of Australia’s bowlers went for over a run a ball, as New Zealand coasted to victory.
Brief Scores: Australia 321 all out (Meg Lanning 87, Ashleigh Gardner 60; Hannah Rowe 4-49); New Zealand 325/1 (Sophie Devine 161*, Amelia Kerr 92*; Alana King 1-48).
India defeated West Indies by 81 runs in their second warm-up fixture ahead of the upcoming 50-over World Cup here at the Rangiora Oval on Tuesday.
