KINGSTOWN: A half-century from left-arm opener Beth Mooney and frugal bowling from Alana King and Georgia Wareham led Australia to a resounding 43-run win in the first T20I of the three-match T20I series against the West Indies.
Australian captain Sophie Molyneux’s decision to bat first paid off as the visitors amassed a mammoth total of 164/6 in their 20 overs thanks to a third-wicket partnership between Mooney and Ellis Perry.
The duo put on 99 for the third wicket off 66 balls to rescue Australia from 34/2 in 5.3 overs.
Mooney returned after top-scoring for the visitors with a 55-ball 79 with seven fours and two sixes and was adjudged man of the match. Perry, on the other hand, scored 36 off 32 balls with 2 fours and a six.
Apart from them, no other Australian players managed to score double figures.
West Indies’ bowlers Deandra Tottin took 3 for 35 in his four overs, followed by Cinelle Henry with 2.
Chasing a tough target of 165 runs, Gianna Joseph’s brave performance allowed the home side to post 121/6 in 20 overs.
The left-handed opener struggled on his own for the West Indies, anchoring a 39-ball 45 and top-scoring.
Apart from him, only Staphani Taylor, who scored 28 off 25 balls, scored at a strike rate of over a hundred, depicting the West Indian batsmen’s struggle against King-led Australia’s bowling attack.
King led Australia’s bowling charge with three wickets for just 14 runs from his four overs, while Georgia Wareham took two from three overs. Right-arm pacer Kim Garth chipped a scalp.
With a 43-run win, Australia took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series against the West Indies, with the second and third matches to be played at the same venue on Sunday and Tuesday.