For the third match in a row, Hayley Matthews demonstrated her batting prowess with played another sensational knock to earn the Player-of-the-Match award but it came in a losing cause as West Indies Women went down to Australia Women by 47 runs on Thursday in Brisbane.
Playing on a good surface at the Allan Border Field the result meant It handed Australia a 2-1 series result in the three-match Twenty20 International Series. Needing a win to clinch a historic series success the visitors fell short of their target of 191, dismissed for 143 off the penultimate ball of the run chase.
Matthews again stood tall with a stunning 79 off just 40 balls at the top of the order – to follow up her unbeaten 99 in the opener and her magnificent 132 in the second T20I which led West Indies Women to a series-levelling seven-wicket win.
The West Indies captain collected every Player-of-the-Match award in the series and was predictably named Player-of-the-Series.
Allrounder Aaliyah Alleyne struck 26 from 23 balls but seamer Darcie Brown (3-20) and off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner (3-32) snatched three wickets apiece while new-ball bowler Kim Garth (2-24) also chipped in
At one stage, the visitors were 97 without loss but once Matthews became the first wicket to fall in the 11th over, the innings fell apart thereafter as ten wickets tumbled for 46 runs.
“I knew for sure we were in with a shot and that’s what I was gunning for, hence the fact I was trying to be pretty aggressive,” Matthews said. “I think I was getting some boundaries pretty quickly, I think the momentum was definitely on our side at that point in time but the wicket kind of changed things a lot.”
The two teams will now turn their attention to the three-match One-Day International Series which bowls off at the Allan Border Field on Monday (Sunday night Caribbean Time).
Match Schedule and Results
1 October: 1st T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney – Australia won by 8 wickets
2 October: 2nd T20I at North Sydney Oval, Sydney – West Indies won by 7 wickets
5 October: 3rd T20I at Allan Border Field, Brisbane – Australia won by 47 runs
8 October: 1st ODI at Allan Border Field, Brisbane – 9:35am local time (6:35pm October 7 Eastern Caribbean/5:35pm Jamaica)
12 October: 2nd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne – 10:05am local time (7:05pm October 11 Eastern Caribbean/6:05pm Jamaica)
14 October: 3rd ODI at Junction Oval, Melbourne – 10:05am local time (7:05pm October 13 Eastern Caribbean/6:05pm Jamaica)
FULL SQUAD: Hayley Matthews (Captain), Shemaine Campbelle (Vice Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams
Team Management: Shane Deitz (Head Coach), Sheena Gooding (Team Manager), Damien Wright (Assistant Coach), Ryan Austin (Assistant Coach), Tajay Grant (Physiotherapist), Antonia Burton (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Gary Belle (Performance Analyst), Dr. Nadine Sammy (Mental Skills Coach), Naasira Mohammed (Media Officer). (CWI)
