Paarl: A good final over from Stacy-Ann King took West Indies women to a thrilling two-run win over South Africa and with it a 3-0 sweep of the hosts in Paarl. South Africa will be left kicking themselves after they failed to chase down a target of 98, and the reason can be found in the middle overs when they allowed the required rate to get away. West Indies, after losing the one-day series, rounded off their tour on a high.
West Indies had bowled tightly to keep the hosts under check as they attempted to salvage a win in the final game, but still found themselves needing to be on the mark going into the final over. Needing 12 to win, South Africa got four off the first ball as Alicia Smith slogged one to the deep. But on the next ball Smith went lbw for 44, after which two singles and a scampered double left the equation to four off the last ball. A single was taken, a second attempted, but a run out sealed the win for West Indies.
Smith's 44 had propped up a feeble chase, which began with a wicket in the first over. Between overs 11-15 South Africa managed just 24 runs and thereon struggled to get back on track.
They had done well to dismiss West Indies for 97, a total that owed immensely to the opener Deandra Dottin's 53. Amazingly, after Dottin slammed two fours and six in a 20-run opening over, West Indies managed just 77 in the remaining 19 overs. On top of that, there was no other player to make it to double digits. Dottin batted 36 balls for her match-winning role, and her dismissal in the 14th over was followed by the tail twitching for a further 18 crucial runs. Given South Africa's dismal performance in the series, a total of 97 proved enough.
Brief score
West Indies women: 97 (Dottin 52, Kilowan 3-20)
South Africa: women: 95 for 6 (Smith 44, Nation 2-14)
Result: West Indies won by 2 runs