Openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont cracked centuries before debutant Linsey Smith grabbed a five-wicket haul as England Women continued their dominance over West Indies Women with a comfortable 108-run victory in the opening Women’s One Day International here on Friday.
Jones’ knock of 122 coupled with Beaumont’s 107 enabled the home side to post their eighth-highest total in WODIs, a formidable 345 for six from their 50 overs at the Derbyshire County Ground.
West Indies Women got off to a great start but lost their way amidst Smith’s destructive spell and were eventually bowled out for 237 in 48.2 overs.
England Women couldn’t have asked for a better start as Jones and Beaumont registered the third-highest opening partnership in history during a 222-run stand.
Jones should have been dismissed before she reached three figures, though, with Jahzara Claxton and Karishma Ramharack putting down caught and bowled chances in successive overs when she was in her 90s.
Beaumont was the first to the milestone, bringing up her 11th ODI century off 96 balls with a boundary through point off the bowling of Ramharack.
Jones joined her soon after, getting to her maiden ODI century by crunching Cherry-Ann Fraser for four through extra cover.
Fraser broke the partnership by bowling Beaumont for 107 after she had faced 104 balls and hit eight fours and four sixes.
Emma Lamb only scored two runs before she was dismissed by Hayley Matthews, who also accounted for the wicket of Jones to leave England 246 for three in the 39th over.
In all Jones faced 121 balls and struck 15 fours and one six.
Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt then scored 52 off just 36 balls to help England Women plunder 92 runs off their last 10 overs.
Matthews was the best bowler for the West Indies with 2-29 from her 10 overs, while Afy Fletcher took 2-65.
Needing to pull off a record run chase in search of victory, West Indies Women got off to a blazing start thanks to the efforts of Matthews and Qiana Joseph.
The pair put on 91 runs inside 15 overs with few alarms until debutant Em Arlott’s outswinger found the edge of Matthews’ bat to have her caught behind for 48.
Joseph along with Zaida James carried the visitors past the 100-mark and the former reached her second ODI half century off 53 balls when she drove Alice Capsey down to long off for a single.
James, though, struggled to get going and it came as no surprise when she was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Smith for seven after facing 29 balls to make the score 124 for two in the 23rd over.
West Indies found themselves in trouble when Capsey bowled Joseph for 62 off 74 balls, inclusive of nine fours, and Smith bowled Shemaine Campbelle and Mandy Mangru for nine and one respectively, to see the visitors slump to 147 for five.
Aaliyah Alleyne countered by hitting 44 off 46 balls, and Shabika Gajnabi and Claxton both got starts but failed to carry on as the West Indies’ chase faltered.
Smith ended with 5-36 from her 10 overs and Arlott provided support with 2-37. (CMC)
