Women’s World Cup | West Indies shock New Zealand in thrilling tournament opener

Part-time bowler Deandra Dottin delivered a fearless final over in which three wickets fell

Part-time bowler Deandra Dottin delivered a fearless final over in which three wickets fell to give West Indies a three-run win over host New Zealand on Friday in the opening match of the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

New Zealand came to the last over on 254-7, chasing West Indies’ 259-9 and appearing poised to pull off the highest winning run chase in the history of the women’s world tournament, but was dismissed for 256 with a ball left.

Dottin, an opening batter, hadn’t bowled in the match until that point. In fact she hadn’t bowled in the West Indies’ last nine one-day internationals or taken a wicket for the last three years. But she stepped up to take 2-2 in the last over.

Hayley Matthews, sent into an unfamiliar role as Dottin’s opening partner and battling a hamstring strain, made 119 runs in 128 balls as she anchored the West Indies’ innings after New Zealand won the toss and chose to field.

In reply, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine made 108 in 127 — her sixth ODI century and second in a World Cup match — to allow New Zealand to take the match deep, though it always lagged behind the West Indies’ run rate.

Devine was out, like Matthews, in the 45th over; New Zealand was 215-7 and still 45 runs from victory. Katey Martin made 44 and Jess Kerr 25 in a 40-run stand for the eighth wicket which tipped the match back in New Zealand’s favor.

Martin hit fours from the last two balls of the 49th over to send New Zealand into the last over needing six runs from six balls in what seemed an equation favorable to the home side. With the West Indies a bowler short after an injury to Shamilia Connell, Dottin stepped up to take the ball.