Daley Fires West Indies To Victory

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Jamaican all-rounder Shanel Daley extended her superb form as West Indies Women made a winning start to their five-match Twenty20 series by capturing the opening contest at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Daley top-scored with 48 from 28 balls to help fire West Indies up to 127 for seven off their 20 overs, after the hosts won the toss and batted.

In their turn at the crease, Sri Lanka were restricted to 104 for eight with Daley taking one for 21 from four overs of left-arm medium pace.

However, off-spinners Stafanie Taylor (2-19) and Anisa Mohammed (2-22) were the leading bowlers, picking up two wickets apiece.

Stafanie Taylor, leading the side in the absence of Merissa Aguilleira, put on 30 from 42 balls for the first wicket with Juliana Nero, who scored 22 from 35 balls.

Taylor, the world's top-ranked batsman, scored just 13 from 16 balls before she perished, caught and bowled in the seventh over by left-arm spinner Chandima Gunaratne.