By Bradley Jacks- On the back of a maiden international century from Harleen Deol, hosts India Women secured an unassailable 2-0 One-Day International series lead over the West Indies Women with a 115-run win in the second ODI at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Tuesday.
The Indians produced what can only be described as a magnificent batting display after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss, posting a challenging 358-5 from their 50 overs.
Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal got proceedings underway with a 110-run opening stand that came to an end when Mandhana was run out for 53 in the 17th over.
Deol then joined Rawal in the middle and the pair carried on the god work of the opening partnership, putting on 62 before Zaida James dismissed Rawal in the 29th over for an 86-ball 76 including 10 fours and a six.
Skipper Kaur was next to go for a quick 22 off 18 balls leaving India 215-3 with one ball remaining in the 36th over.
The next partnership was the one that ensured India got to their massive total as Jemimah Rodrigues joined Deol.
The pair added 116 for the fourth wicket, with Deol bringing up her maiden hundred off 98 balls 47th over.
She was eventually dismissed halfway through the 48th over for 115 off 103 balls including 16 fours.
In the midst of Deol’s brilliance, Rodrigues was having an excellent innings of her own, eventually falling in the 49th over for 52 off just 36 balls including six fours and one six.
Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Zaida James and Qiana Joseph spilt the four wickets outside of the run out for the West Indies.
In pursuit of what would be their second highest score ever in ODIs, the West Indies Women lost their first wicket 5.3 overs into the innings when Qiana Joseph fell for a 16-ball 15 with the score on 20.
Debutant Nerissa Crafton (13), Rashada Williams (0) and Deandra Dottin (10) all fell in quick succession after, leaving the tourists 69-4 with one ball remaining in the 17th over.
Skipper Hayley Matthews and vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle then offered a little bit of hope to the Windies with a 112-run fifth wicket partnership that, unfortunately, ended when Campbelle fell for 38 in the 34th over.
On a positive note, Matthews brought up her seventh ODI hundred with a single off Deepti Sharma off the third ball of the 35th over. Her century came off 99 balls.
The next ball, however, saw Aaliyah Alleyne fall for a duck to leave the score 182-6.
Four overs later, Matthews’ vigil came to an end for 106 off 109 balls including 13 fours when she was caught at long on by Jemimah Rodrigues off the bowling of Pratika Rawal.
Zaida James and Afy Fletcher then provided some resistance with a 28-run eighth wicket stand before James fell in the 45th over for 25, with Fletcher following not long after for 22 to leave the West Indies on the brink at 237-9 in the 46th over.
Two balls into the 47th over, India secured the win and a series victory when Karishma Ramharack fell caught by Deol off the bowling of Priya Mishra for three.
The West Indies final score was 243 in 46.2 overs.
Mishra finished with 3-49 from 9.2 overs while Deepti Sharma, Titas Sadhu and Pratika Rawal all took two wickets, each.
Full Scores:
India Women 358-5 from 50 overs (Harleen Deol 115, Pratika Rawal 76, Smriti Mandhana 53, Jemimah Rodrigues 52, Qiana Joseph 1-27, Afy Fletcher 1-38).
West Indies Women 243 from 46.2 overs (Hayley Matthews 106, Shemaine Campbelle 38, Priya Mishra 3-49, Pratika Rawal 2-37, Deepti Sharma 2-40, Titas Sadhu 2-42). (Sportsmax)