England women v West Indies women – ICC Women’s World T20, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala
West Indies women won the toss and elected to bat
West Indies women – 108-4 (Stefanie Taylor 35)
20 overs
England women – 109-9 (Afy Fletcher 3-12, Shaquana Quintyne 3-19, Tammy Beaumont 31, Charlotte Edwards 30)
20 overs
England women won by 1 wicket
England moved closer to an ICC World Twenty20 semi-final place after beating West Indies by one wicket in a last-ball thriller in Dharamsala.
Charlotte Edwards’ side, having won their first two Group B matches, were coasting along on 59 without loss in the ninth over of their pursuit of 109.
But a dramatic collapse of eight wickets for 42 runs left them requiring seven off the final six balls, bowled by Deandra Dottin.
Anya Shrubsole took four runs off the first three deliveries before being bowled by Dottin, but a wide was followed by a Rebecca Grundy single and a bye to get England over the line.
Natalie Sciver kept a cool head when wickets were tumbling around her and finished the chase unbeaten on 19 from 22 deliveries.
England’s third consecutive win left them top of Group B, two points clear of Pakistan who they play in their final outing on Sunday.
England, having lost eight wickets when chasing only 91 to beat India on Wednesday, initially came racing out of the blocks.
Beaumont and Edwards struck 10 fours and one six between them, helping to lift England to 48 without loss at the end of the six-over powerplay, but their dismissals sparked a dramatic passage of play.
Spinners Afy Fletcher and Shaquana Quintyne did the damage, returning figures of 3-12 and 3-19 respectively.
Fletcher ended Beaumont’s Twenty20 international-best 31 by trapping her lbw and also removed Sarah Taylor after Edwards went to Quintyne in similar fashion to her opening partner for 30.
After Heather Knight became Fletcher’s third scalp, Stafanie Taylor removed Lydia Greenway and Danni Wyatt with the score on 83 to leave 26 still required from 33 balls.
Brunt took England closer by adding 18 alongside Sciver but another twist was to follow when she and Jenny Gunn departed with eight still needed.
Shrubsole hit two twos until she went, leaving Grundy and Sciver to steer England home in nail-biting fashion.
Earlier Shrubsole and Gunn bowled with control during impressive four-over spells, each taking a wicket and conceding only 11 and 15 runs respectively, to retsrict West Indies to 108 for four after they won the toss.
The Windies found the going tough on a slow wicket and were reliant on a partnership of 52 in eight overs between Taylor and Dottin.
Brunt delivered a wicket-maiden in the second over, having Hayley Matthews caught by Sciver for nine, but was hit for back-to-back fours by Quintyne twice during a positive powerplay that brought 34 runs.
Quintyne and Taylor added a patient 41 in 8.5 overs until the former hit Sciver to Gunn at long-on to depart for 29 off 28 balls.
Skipper Taylor and Dottin upped the tempo, hitting 35 and 22 respectively, but fell to Shrubsole and Gunn in the final two overs that went for only eight runs.
