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ALTHOUGH WEST Indies’ all-rounder Hayley Matthews was pleased to achieve career-best One-Day International (ODI) figures of four wickets for 15 runs in Friday’s four-run ICC Women’s World Cup victory over Bangladesh, she believes the team’s chances of lifting the 2022 title remain heavily reliant on improved batting performances.
The Windies women (six points) have won three of their five matches and sit in third position on the tournament standings, with Australia and South Africa (eight points each) leading the eight-team table, after four matches played.
Friday’s victory against Bangladesh was a nervy one for the maroon as they struggled at 70/7. However, wicketkeeper/batter Shemaine Campbelle held her own for the Caribbean team and rescued the innings with an unbeaten knock of 53 to carry them to 140 for nine after 50 overs.
In reply, Bangladesh chipped away at the low target but lost wickets consistently as Matthews wrecked the top order.
Late stances from Salma Khatun (23) and Nahida Akter (25 not out) provided a glimmer of hope for Bangladesh in the final overs but Matthews, captain Stafanie Taylor and Fletcher, 3/29 each, were too much.
Matthews, who scored the second highest for Windies women and topped the bowling attack with career-best figures, received the Player-of-the-Match award but still wants a more comprehensive display from the team.
“We knew we didn’t get much runs on the board and definitely need to be doing better in that aspect. Looking at the wicket (to bowl), we knew it was quite slow, holding a bit of turn and that we could have gone out there and defended the runs once we bowled the right areas.
[caption id="attachment_945474" align="alignnone" width="653"] Hayley Matthews - CWI Media[/caption]
“Keeping the stumps in play was very important. We managed to do that quite well but at the same time we’re going to definitely do better with the bat if we’re going to have any chance at the World Cup,” she said during the post-match press conference.
Matthews is currently the joint-leading wicket-taker at the tournament, with ten scalps, and among the top five run-getters as well.
She added, “Over the last year or so, I was able to understand a lot about bowling off-spin, what is required in certain situations. I have been working on my technique, getting my hand coming from a bit higher, trying to get as many revs as possible. What's more important for me is to control where I am pitching the ball a lot more. As a tall girl, helps me get a bit more bounce as well which has been really good.”
In the 47th over of Bangladesh’s innings, Windies pacer Shamilia Connell collapsed on the field and was taken off by medical staff. No update has been issued on what caused her to fall and Matthews said it was “a bit worrying, seeing her going down like that”.
Matthew also praised Campbelle for her timely knock which brought much-needed stability to a shaky West Indies innings.
“At that point we really needed our batters to stand up and she did really well. She’s the type of person who can catch up and get the runs towards the end of the innings.
“She realised what was more important and that was her spending time in the middle, and she did exactly that. Some people will say the strike rate was pretty low but at the same time we were in a bit of a trouble. She just did what we needed her to do,” Matthews added.
Additionally, Fletcher made a welcome return to the World Cup stage, after having her first child seven months ago, with an impressive three-wicket haul. Fletcher had some fun when she got her first wicket as she imitated dialling a phone and video-calling her son to say ‘hello’.
Taylor said, “I thought Afy was brilliant (in her) first (World Cup) game back after giving birth. She has been working really hard in the nets. Really pleased she came out on top."
And Matthews pointed out, “You look at women in sport nowadays and you see so many changes happening. It's been fantastic that she's been able to go out, become a mother and come back in. It speaks for her dedication at her age - being 30-something at this point.
“It is becoming more of a regular happenstance that women can leave the game, give birth and come back to it, knowing that they have that support around her. It's brilliant to have her back, we saw the type of class player that she is and we expect only good things from her going forward as always.”
West Indies Women play Pakistan on Sunday from 9 pm (TT time).
 
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