Pace bowler Ellyse Perry produced her best T20 bowling effort since her debut, as Australia continued their winning streak by completing a four-match sweep of the West Indies on Sunday.
The Southern Stars charged to a 13th straight win in the format, as they cruised to a crushing eight wicket win in the final match of the series at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
Perry (3-9) helped restrict West Indies to 7-107, after they won the toss and elected to bat.
The Southern Stars raced to their modest target in the 15th over, with 35 balls to spare.
Openers Elyse Villani (59 not out) and player of the series Jess Jonassen (31) made short work of the chase putting on 81 off 10.5 overs.
Perry produced her second best bowling figures in international T20 cricket after the 4-20 she took on her debut in 2008.
Perry, who turned 24 last week, topped the Australian averages with six wickets at 9.83.
Played purely as a batter in the previous T20 series against Pakistan in August and September, due to a knee injury, Perry felt she was getting close to full bowling fitness.
“I think I am certainly getting there.” Perry said.
Southern Stars captain Meg Lanning was delighted with the large spread of contributors to Australia’s clean sweep, which also included two four-wicket wins and an 86 run victory.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve had a lot of contributors over the different games, we haven’t really relied on one or two people,” Lanning said.
Bowling her full four over allocation in one early spell, Perry claimed a wicket in each of her first three overs, as the visitors slipped to 4-36 after seven overs.
Megan Schutt bowled Stafanie Taylor (6) in the second over to make the initial breakthrough and Perry trapped the other opener Kycia Knight (4) lbw in the next over.
Perry had dangerous hitter Deandra Dottin caught by Alex Blackwell after she smashed two sixes off Schutt, and had Hayley Matthews (1) caught by Lanning.
Shemaine Campbelle added some substance to the West Indies’ innings with 34 from as many balls, and Shanel Daley and Shaquana Quintyne both contributed 15, but the visitors couldn’t muster any substantial partnerships.
Spinner Jonassen (2-8 off three) was Australia’s other multiple wicket taker, while Schutt (1-34 off three) and Renee Farrell (1-13 off two) claimed the other wickets.
In reply, Villani and Jonassen smashed 20 off a nine-ball first over bowled by Tremayne Smartt.
Jonassen’s dismissal and that of Lanning (5) were the only minor hiccups for the home team.
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Perry (5 no) secured the win with a boundary.
