West Indies women qualify for World Cup

MIRPUR, Bangladesh (CMC):

West Indies emphatically qualified for the ICC Women's World Cup 2013 after recording their fourth consecutive win by an 80-run margin over Bangladesh in the World Cup Qualifier here yesterday.

Playing in front of a crowd of over 5,000 Bangladeshi fans that filled the stands at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, West Indies owed their success in Group B to a third successive half-century from opener Stafanie Taylor, a solid all-round performance from Shanel Daley, who also made a half-century and a three-wicket haul from rookie teenage bowler Shaquana Quintyne.

Bangladesh falls

After losing Juliana Nero for six with the score 27 in the eighth over, Jamaicans Taylor and Daley put on an 84-run partnership in 21.4 overs for the second wicket which helped the West Indies on its way to making 217 for eight off 50 overs, after Bangladesh won the toss.

Taylor topscored with 62 off 102 balls, striking five boundaries, while Daley, who made 61, faced 105 deliveries and also hit five boundaries, along with a six. Taylor's three scores of over 50 included a century in the first match against Ireland.

In front of the large and vocal home crowd, the Bangladesh side valiantly chased down the target, but ultimately fell for 137 in 47.4 overs. Quintyne, a 15-year-old Barbadian leg-spinner in only her third ODI match, took three for 20 off 6.4 overs. Pacer Shakera Selman, also from Barbados, picked up for 16 and Player-of-the-Match Daley, with her left-arm medium-pace, two for 17.

West Indies finished the group stages on top and will next play on Thursday when they face either Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, dependent on the outcome of the Asia sides' cross-over game tomorrow.