Australia completed a dominant tour of the West Indies with a nine-wicket victory, sealing a 3-0 ODI series whitewash. Alana King starred with the ball, producing her second-best ODI figures of 5 for 19 as West Indies were dismissed for 136 in St Kitts.
The performance marked a strong turnaround for King, who had taken 1 for 87 across 16 overs in the opening two matches. Her five-wicket haul now stands behind only her 7 for 18 against South Africa at last year’s ODI World Cup.
Australia chased down the target comfortably inside 20 overs, with Phoebe Litchfield finishing unbeaten on 68 from 56 balls and earning the Player-of-the-Series award.
The result also ensured a clean sweep across formats, with Australia winning all six matches on tour after securing a 3-0 victory in the T20I series as well.
“There’s a clear skill gap between the two teams but there’s things we can work on,” West Indies captain Hayley Matthews said.
More Read
King Leads Collapse After Strong Start
West Indies made a promising start in the powerplay after adjusting their batting order to promote Deandra Dottin alongside Matthews. However, the innings quickly unraveled as they lost all ten wickets for 98 runs.
Dottin was dismissed after edging Lucy Hamilton to slip, giving the left-arm seamer her maiden ODI wicket. King, introduced as the fifth bowling option by stand-in captain Tahlia McGrath, made an immediate impact by removing Matthews, who cut to cover.
Two deliveries later, Jannillea Glasgow was caught by Georgia Wareham at point, highlighting an improved fielding display from Australia.
More Read
Brief Resistance Before King Strikes Again
Chinelle Henry and Realeanna Grimmond attempted to stabilise the innings with a 37-run partnership for the sixth wicket. However, Grimmond was dismissed when she hit King to long-off.
King then completed her five-wicket haul with the dismissals of Afy Fletcher, caught at slip, and Karishma Ramharack, taken at long-on, as Henry was left without support.
Litchfield Anchors Comfortable Chase
Australia’s pursuit was swift, with only one wicket falling. Georgia Voll was dismissed after contributing to a 50-run opening stand with Litchfield, finding deep midwicket.
Litchfield led the chase with authority, showcasing a wide range of strokes including a switch hit and a reverse sweep, finishing unbeaten on 68 and ending the series as the leading run-scorer.
Focus Shifts to T20 World Cup Preparations
Both teams will now turn their attention to the upcoming T20 World Cup in England from mid-June. Australia are scheduled to play three additional T20 matches against South Africa ahead of the tournament, while West Indies will compete in a tri-series in Ireland alongside the hosts and Pakistan as part of their preparations.
