WEST INDIES Women rode on captain Hayley Matthews’ commanding century to overpower Zimbabwe Women by 91 runs in the third and deciding ODI at Harare Sports Club yesterday, sealing the three-match series 2-1.
Matthews struck 118 off 113 balls as the tourists amassed 271 for five from their allotted 50 overs before restricting Zimbabwe to 180 all out in 47.3 overs.
Zimbabwe had won the toss and elected to field in the series decider, but Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle gradually wrestled control from the hosts with a massive second-wicket partnership.
After West Indies lost Realeanna Grimmond for three with the score on 38, Matthews and Campbelle added 160 runs to take the visitors to 198 before Zimbabwe finally broke the partnership.
Matthews led from the front, decorating her 118 with 18 fours and a six, while Campbelle narrowly missed a century after compiling 96 from 119 deliveries, including 13 boundaries.
Zimbabwe fought back towards the end of the innings, but Jannillea Glasgow’s unbeaten 26 from 21 balls and Jahzara Claxton’s 11 not out from seven ensured West Indies finished strongly on 271 for five.
Nomvelo Sibanda and Beloved Biza claimed two wickets apiece, while Nyasha Gwanzura was Zimbabwe’s most economical bowler, returning one for 36 from 10 overs, including three maidens.
Faced with a challenging target of 272, Zimbabwe’s chase suffered an early blow when they slumped to 31 for three inside nine overs before Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Josephine Nkomo attempted to rebuild the innings.
Mugeri-Tiripano contributed 25 from 42 balls before falling with Zimbabwe on 56 for four, leaving Nkomo to shoulder much of the resistance.
The Zimbabwe skipper battled through the mounting pressure to finish unbeaten on 74 from 109 deliveries, striking five fours and a six, but wickets continued to tumble around her.
Sharne Mayers, Gwanzura and Michelle Mavunga contributed 13 runs each, but Zimbabwe never recovered sufficiently from their poor start and were eventually dismissed for 180 in 47.3 overs.
Munisar returned an economical two for 32 from 10 overs, while Alleyne took two for 39 and Glasgow wrapped up the innings with two for 37. Afy Fletcher and Zaida James claimed one wicket apiece, while two Zimbabwe batters were run out.
The result completed a series turnaround for West Indies after Zimbabwe had forced the contest into a decider with a four-wicket victory in Sunday’s second ODI.
West Indies had opened the series with a 99-run triumph after posting 299 for six and dismissing Zimbabwe for 200, before the hosts hit back in the second match, bowling the visitors out for 139 and reaching 140 for six with 55 balls remaining.
Matthews was again at the heart of West Indies’ success in the decider, her century providing the platform for the tourists to recover from their second-match defeat and leave Harare Sports Club with a 2-1 ODI series triumph.
