Skipper Taylor urges soul-searching as Windies woes continue

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LEICESTER, England, CMC – A frustrated West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor on Sunday implored her embattled side to undertake deep soul-searching, in the wake of yet another devastating defeat in the ICC Women’s World Cup.
The Windies slumped to their third straight loss when they went down by 10 wickets to South Africa Women, in what was easily their worst performance of the tournament.
Following the defeat, veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin could be seen sobbing uncontrollably while teammates tried in vain to console her.
“It’s up to us as individuals,” a stony-faced Taylor said following the result.
“We just have to go back and look deep inside ourselves and see where we are going wrong and try and turn it around for the team.”
Sent in, West Indies capitulated for 48 all out off 25.2 overs – their second lowest-ever total in One-Day Internationals and the sixth lowest in World Cup history.
Number four Chedean Nation was the only batsman in double figures with 26 as West Indies lost their first five wickets with jut 16 runs on the board, and their last five for 10 runs, in a shocking display.
In reply, the Proteas required just 38 deliveries to overhaul their paltry target, with Lizelle Lee stroking a fluent unbeaten 29 off 16 balls.
Taylor blamed a lack of application for the poor showing from the batting group.
“Everyone can see that we basically collapsed at the top there. I don’t think we actually applied ourselves,” the Jamaican pointed out.
“We didn’t stick to our plans from the team meeting and everything just went wayward from there.”
Sunday’s result came on the heels of an eight-wicket defeat to reigning champions Australia Women in their opening game in Taunton last Monday and a seven-wicket loss to India Women four days ago at the same venue.
The losing finalists from the last 50-overs World Cup and the reigning Twenty20 World champions, West Indies now face the prospect of failing to miss out on the semi-finals.
Taylor, who along with Dottin celebrated 100 career ODIs last week, said the form of the senior players needed to improve if the team’s fortunes were to turn around.
“We said from day one that senior players would be important in this tournament and not any of our senior players have been stepping up to that task,” lamented Dottin who has scored 45, 16 and four in her three innings in the tournament.
“As senior players we need to look deep inside within and try to fight hard.”
West Indies face another tough assignment on Thursday when they take on one of the tournament favourites New Zealand.
 

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