Yet another South African batting collapse meant West Indies doubled their lead in the five-match T20I series, winning the second game by a whopping nine-wicket margin at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad on Friday (September 28). Hayley Matthews and Anisa Mohammed were the destroyers in chief for the hosts, restricting South Africa to a 101/8 before a 72-run partnership between Natasha McLean and skipper Stafanie Taylor helped Windies overhaul the target with more than four overs to spare.
Put in to bat, South Africa lost both their destructive batters at top - Lizelle Lee and Sune Luss - for nought as Matthews struck twice in the fourth over. It was through little partnerships Dane van Niekerk formed with her deputy, Chloe Tryon and former captain Mignon du Preez that South Africa started to resurrect their innings but runs weren't flowing easily. South Africa had only managed 95 off 19 overs but had their skipper well-set for a final-over flourish. Mohammed, however, had different plans. She dismissed van Niekerk off the second ball of the over, and a boundary later, became the only West Indies' women cricketer, and ninth overall, to register a T20I hat-trick. Her victims included Marizanne Kapp, Saarah Smith and Masabata Klaas, as South Africa could only just manage to post a triple-figure total.
Matthews also chipped in with a 21-ball 17, laced with three boundaries, in a 30-run opening stand in Windies' reply. However, it was McLean who held the chase together with career-best 42 not out, that included two sixes and as many fours. She forged a 72-run partnership with her skipper Taylor, who played the aggressor, making a quick 35 in 30 deliveries. En route, Taylor also became the second-highest run-scorer in Women's T20I cricket when she reached 15.
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