The beautiful Bay Oval has been known for producing such games. New Zealand women won the toss and opted to bowl, asking West Indies women to bat first.
As is the game of West Indies to start blazingly so they did in the first match of the World Cup. Deandra Dottin ( 12 off 7) started to hammer the ball from first over. However, Lea Tahuhu picked her wicket in the third over.
Experienced left hander Kycia Knight, too, didn’t stay for long and was given LBW in the 6th over. She scored 5 runs. It was Hayley Matthews’s day who batted sensibly and scored a magnificent century (119 off 128 balls) to help West Indies post a total of 259.
S Taylor (30 off 47), S Campbelle (20 off 38 balls) and Chedean Nation (36 off 46 balls) supported Hayley Matthews. They consecutively established 50 runs partnership for 3rd, 4th and 5th wicket.
For New Zealand, Tahuhu (57 for 3 wickets) and Jess Kerr (43 for 2 wickets) bowled well. Captain Sophie Devine didn’t take any wicket but scored a much needed century (108 off 127 balls) that helped New Zealand find its feet near to victory.
New Zealand didn’t get a solid foundation for a World Cup run chase. In 12 overs, New Zealand were 2 for 47 and Sophie Devine and Amy Satterthwaite were in the crease. Together they established a 73 run partnership.
However, New Zealand lost 3rd wicket on 123 and thereafter, a small collapse appeared and New Zealand were 6 for 162. Credit to Katey Martin who batted sensibly and scored 44 off 47 balls to bring back New Zealand in the game.
The match went down to the last over and New Zealand needed 6 runs to win. But Dottin who was bowling her first over picked two of Kerr and Martin leaving New Zealand 9 down and requiring 4 off the last 2 balls.
Very next ball, New Zealand lost its last wicket in a run out. The fifth bowl of the over ensured West Indies victory in the first match of the Women’s World Cup 2022.