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By Peter Della Penna
Player-coach
Indomatie Goordial-John top-scored with 83 in USA’s total of 226 for 7
before capping off her day with a stifling spell of off-spin to take 1
for 7 in 8.2 overs as USA defeated Canada by 112 runs at Maple Leaf CC
in King City, Ontario, on day one of the ICC Americas Women’s Cricket
World Cup Qualifier.
Pic (Right): Goordial-John was named Player of the Match [File photo]
Canada won the toss and elected to field first. Left-handed
wicketkeeper-batsman Monique Mathee opened the batting for USA along
with captain Durga Das. The two put 29 runs on the board before Mathee
was dismissed in the eighth over by Saniyah Zia for 5.
That set the stage for Goordial-John to come in at number three and
take away the match from Canada. The captain and player-coach teamed up
to add 91 runs for the second wicket with Das bringing up her
half-century along the way. Das fell for 53 in 91 balls with seven
fours and the platform was set for USA to keep the pressure on Canada.
Goordial-John delivered the goods for USA as she struck six boundaries
in her knock which ate up 118 deliveries in just over two and a half
hours at the crease. She finally fell in the 47th over to Mahwish Khan,
but the damage had been done as USA was sitting pretty at 205 for 6.
They managed to tack on another 21 runs before the innings was finished
and it proved to be more than enough to defend.
Shondell Ward ripped apart the Canadian top order, claiming the first
four wickets of the chase to leave Canada reeling at 12 for 4 in the
sixth over. Among the four was the vital scalp of captain Mona Persaud,
who was caught behind for a second-ball duck.
The next three wickets fell courtesy of run outs. Mikaela Turik and
Suthershini Sivanantham attempted to lead a recovery, posting 43 runs
for the fifth wicket in the biggest partnership of the innings for
Canada. Suthershini was run out for 13 in the 17th over and Turik for a
top-score of 40 in the 25th over to tilt the match back in USA’s favor.
Ward got her fifth by clean bowling the number eight Khan for 10 to
make it 113 for 9 in the 36th before the match ended one over later
when Helene Gaffney was run out for 12 as Canada finished all out for
114 in 37.2 overs. Ward finished with 5 for 20 in six overs.
USA has a chance to clinch a spot in next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket
World Cup Qualifier in Bangladesh if they can beat Canada in their
second 50-over clash on Wednesday. Canada must win on Wednesday to have
any chance of advancing to Bangladesh or else Friday’s match between
the two sides will be a dead rubber.