Matthews keeps her cool to secure Royals' victory in Massy Women's Caribbean Premier

by CricDirect Staff & WCPL Thursday 22 August 2024

Hayley Matthews (L) and Qiana Joseph (R)

©CPL T20 via Getty Images

In a gripping start to the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League, the Barbados Royals edged out the Guyana Amazon Warriors by one wicket. Captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance, combining sharp bowling with a composed final innings to secure the win with just one ball to spare.

Match Summary

Barbados Royals Women vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Women, Match 1

Barbados Royals Women 119/9 (19.5 ov)

Guyana Amazon Warriors Women 118/9 (20 ov)

Barbados Royals Women won by 1 wickets

SCORECARD

Match Analysis

Matthews won the toss and chose to field first at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and her side restricted the Warriors to what was thought to be a below par score of 118/9 off their 20 overs.

The wickets were shared around between Royals’ seam and spin bowlers, Aaliyah Alleyne taking 3/21 from her four overs including the crucial wicket of a well-set Stafanie Taylor for 38.

It was far from a comfortable chase for the Royals, the 2023 champions found themselves 44/3 and 50/4 during their innings but Matthews kept her head with wickets falling all around her, finishing unbeaten on 61 not out off 58 deliveries having batted through the innings to secure victory for her side and get the defence of their trophy off to a winning start.

An undulating match began with the Warriors struggling to get any momentum with the bat after losing both openers inside the PowerPlay. Captain Lauren Winford-Hill was bowled by a fast delivery from Alleyne that zipped off the floodlit wicket and Natasha McLean fended off Qiana Joseph to be well caught inside the inner circle by a diving Cherry-Ann Fraser.

At 59/2 after 10 overs the Warriors then lost wickets regularly in the second half of their innings which duly served to stifle their run scoring.

Stafanie Taylor played a typically classy knock, hitting four fours and a six to anchor the innings for the Warriors before Alleyne made the crucial break through by bowling her with the second ball of the 17^th over.

Amanda-Jade Wellington found turn and a kept a tight line for the Royals, the Australian leg-spinner finishing impressively with 2/19 off her four overs to set up a seemingly straightforward chase.

The Royals also lost regular wickets in their reply, Shabnim Isamil the pick of bowlers for the Warriors, picking 4/16 from her four overs and looking threatening with almost every delivery she sent down.

Erin Burns pulled off an early contender for catch of the competition, a flashing drive by Georgia Redmayne seeing Burns produce a wonderfully athletic diving grab at point. Definitely one for the highlights reel and the repeat button.

Chloe Tryon ensured the game went down to the wire by stitching together five consecutive dots to Shabika Gajnabi in a penultimate over that went for just one run.

With seven needed off the final six balls, Winford-Hill entrusted nineteen year old leg-spinner Nyia Latchman with the final over. The teenager kept her nerve impressively but it wasn’t enough to stop Matthews using all her skill and experience to find the gaps in the outfield and get her side over the line at the last.

Match Stats

Guyana Amazon Warriors Women Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Natasha McLean - 3.1 ov), 2-28 (Lauren Winfield Hill - 4.5 ov), 3-69 (Erin Burns - 11.1 ov), 4-100 (Stafanie Taylor - 16.2 ov), 5-105 (Shemaine Campbelle - 17.2 ov), 6-105 (Shabnim Ismail - 17.4 ov), 7-112 (Chloe Tryon - 18.4 ov), 8-117 (Karishma Ramharack - 19.3 ov), 9-118 (Ashmini Munisar - 19.6 ov)

Barbados Royals Women Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Georgia Redmayne - 4.5 ov), 2-37 (Rashada Williams - 6.2 ov), 3-44 (Aaliyah Alleyne - 9.1 ov), 4-50 (Laura Harris - 10.2 ov), 5-92 (Qiana Joseph - 15.1 ov), 6-100 (Chinelle Henry - 15.5 ov), 7-102 (Amanda Wellington - 16.3 ov), 8-111 (Afy Fletcher - 17.5 ov), 9-115 (Shabika Gajnabi - 19.3 ov)