BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – West Indies Women predictably suffered their second straight series whitewash at the hands of powerhouses Australia Women when they went down by nine wickets in the final Twenty20 International of the three-match series in Barbados Wednesday night.
In yet another lopsided encounter at Kensington Oval, West Indies could only muster 81 all-out off their 20 overs, with opener Britney Cooper top-scoring with 29 off 35 balls to be one of just three batsmen in double figures, but the only one to pass 20.
The hosts were undone by left-arm spinner, Jess Jonassen, who snatched four for seven from four superb overs while 20-year-old leg-spinner Georgia Wareham supported with three for 14.
New-ball seamer Megan Schutt picked up two for 14.
In reply, the Aussies strolled to their target in the eighth over with Player-of-the-Series Alyssa Healy belting a 16-ball 38 and opening partner Beth Mooney gathering an unbeaten 24 off 18 deliveries.
Healy notched six fours and two sixes in dominating a 45-run opening stand off 22 balls before slicing leg-spinner Afy Fletcher for Karishma Ramharack to take a low catch at short third-man in the fourth over.
Choosing to bat first earlier, West Indies lost left-hander Kyshona Knight for two in the third over with the score on six, caught by captain Meg Lanning moving to her right at first slip off Schutt.
Captain Stafanie Taylor, playing in her 100th T20 International, struggled for 19 deliveries over her six before becoming the second casualty of the innings, carving Wareham to Jonassen at point in the seventh over.
When Stacy-Ann King missed a heave at Jonassen and was bowled between bat and pad for six in the 12th over, the hosts were in deeper trouble at 42 for three.
Cooper, a late inclusion in the series, was the only one to show any defiance, counting four fours in an attractive innings. But she too fell victim to the Aussie spin attack, missing a sweep of Wareham and adjudged lbw in the 14th over.
Natasha McLean (15) and rookie Sheneta Grimmond (13) staged the best stand of the innings with a 20-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but once they were separated, West Indies lost their last six wickets for 26 runs in quick time.