When captain Meg Lanning missed an easy chance at slip, Alana King was denied a hat-trick and her first international five-wicket haul, but the leg-spinner still led with 4-8 in her four overs as Barbados Couldn’t last long.
“It’s cricket right – there’s no point in giving it up or anything,” King said of the missed opportunity.
“It’s just the way the game goes, I’m glad I’m contributing in whatever way I can.”
Beth Mooney was stumped for two in the second over of the Aussie chase, and Alyssa Healy quickly became lethargic, crawling to four in her first 14 balls.
But Lanning (36 off 21) hit four fours and two sixes, including 25 off Deandra Dottin’s first over.
“I was really looking forward to contributing,” Lanning said. I got some loose deliveries in that over of Dottin and I found some rhythm which was good.”
Healy (23 off 24) then joined the chase with back-to-back boundaries as the experienced pair helped Australia win the match in 8.1 overs.
Sent in by Australia captain Lanning, Barbados’ hopes rested largely on the shoulders of star openers Hayley Matthews and Dottin.
Mathews (18 off 13) got off to a fine start, hitting four boundaries off Darcy Brown, but Kishore Tej had the last laugh, getting the better of the Barbados captain with a short ball, which was safely in the hands of Grace Harris was thrown safely.
Dottin struggled to go, finding a boundary just before King got stuck on the pads, was dismissed for eight off 22 balls.
No other Barbados batsman reached double digits as Australia took a regular lead, King bowled Aaliyah Allene (8) in the 13th over, then found herself on a hat-trick in the 15th over when she struck Shakira Selman (0) Removed and dismissed Shamilia Connell (0) with a consistent delivery.
“I’ll have nightmares” Lanning said of the dropped chance, which went slightly to his right chest-high.
“I don’t know – I tried my best and I gave it up.
“I was just disappointed for King. She was bowling so well and it was not ideal to let her down like that.”
It mattered little to the Australian, however, as Barbados were bowled out for 64 off the final ball of the innings.
Tahlia McGrath (3-13) and Ashley Gardner (2-6) were the other multiple wicket-takers.