MUMBAI, Feb 11: West Indies upstaged New Zealand by 48 runs in their Super Six match at the Brabourne Stadium to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the ICC Women’s World Cup final.

Batting first, West Indies collected 207-9 in the stipulated 50 overs. New Zealand, in reply, were dismissed for 159 in the 45th over.

After being put into bat by New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates, West Indies lost opener Natasha McLean early — leg-before wicket to Sian Ruck. But Stafanie Taylor was at her belligerent best and stroked seven boundaries in her 53-ball 49 which made her the highest scorer of the event — briefly. Later in the day Bates regained that honour in New Zealand’s innings.

Despite Taylor’s heroics, she found little support from the other end and wickets fell at regular intervals. Deandra Dottin tried to take the attack to the bowlers as she hammered a 21-ball 27 with four fours and a six. However when she was sixth out the West Indies had managed only 117 in the 27th over.

West Indies slipped further to 159-8 in the 44th over but Shanel Daley contributed 37 off 64 balls and Anisa Mohammed swung merrily to finish with an unbeaten 31 off 32 balls. The pair added 45 for the ninth wicket in just over six overs wickets to give their side a respectable total.

Opening bowler Tremayne Smartt used her in-swingers to good effect to snare three top-order New Zealand wickets. Katie Perkins and Bates tried to consolidate before Perkins was run out by a brilliant throw from Dottin and when Taylor snared Nicola Browne leg before and Mohammed out-foxed Bates for a caught and bowled in the next over, New Zealand were in serious trouble at 83-6.

Rachel Priest (36) tried to hold the lower-order together but her resistance ended when she was last out as the West Indies sealed a superb win. Mohammed followed up her batting heroics with 1-13 off 8.3 overs to be awarded Player-of-the-Match. Taylor also bowled well finishing with 2-26 off her 10 overs.

Summarised scores:

West Indies 207-9 in 50 overs (Stafanie Taylor 49, Shanel Daley 37, Anisa Mohammed 31 not out, Deandra Dottin 27; Morna Nielsen 3-27, Sian Ruck 2-32, Suzie Bates 2-36); New Zealand 159 in 44.3 overs (Rachel Priest 36, Suzie Bates 30; Tremayne Smartt 3-39, Deandra Dottin 2-11, Stafanie Taylor 2-26).—Agencies