Women ODI: Australia beat West Indies by 90 runs to take unassailable series lead

Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their ODI series against West Indies with a 90-run win in the second match in St. Kitts.

New captain Sophie Molineux rested her recent back injury and watched on as veteran Beth Mooney top-scored for the visitors, who managed 269-7 after winning the toss.

Spinners Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner were key with the ball as the hosts suffered a collapse of 8-36 on the turning deck in reply.

Ninth on the ICC’s ODI rankings, West Indies had looked up for the fight against the world number one Australians, who fell to 82-4 in the 16th over of their innings.

Ashmini Munisar notably struck twice in two balls to topple heavyweights Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry, out for only her third golden duck in 166 ODIs.

Mooney and stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath had the Aussies back on track with a 58-run stand before a valuable knock of 39 from Wareham at number seven.

In reply, West Indies superstar Hayley Matthews had the hosts tracking nicely at 92-1 through 23 overs, only to become the first victim of their almighty collapse

Matthews was dropped by Alana King on 44, but could only add one more run before Megan Schutt’s hands proved safer in the same McGrath over.

In the next over, player of the match Wareham tickled the off-stump of the other set batter, Stafanie Taylor, and then sent Deandra Dottin packing for a fourth-ball duck.

Gardner had caught-and-bowled Matthews’ fellow opener Qiana Joseph among her three scalps.

Australia struggled for the final wicket after exhausting Wareham and Gardner’s overs, allowing Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack to add some respectability to the scorecard.

McGrath ended the game and broke the 49-run partnership for the 10th wicket when Karishma Ramharack holed out to Voll.

Having already swept the three-match T20I series, Australia face their hosts in the final ODI on Thursday from 14:00h for the chance to claim six wins from as many matches on tour. (ESPNcricinfo)