Matthews delighted with all-round efforts, series sweep

KARACHI, Pakistan (CMC) – Player-of-the-Series Hayley Matthews says she is delighted with her performance in the just-concluded three-match series even though not scoring as heavily as she wanted to.

A stylish right-hander, who also bowls off-spin, Matthews averaged 44 with the bat and captured seven wickets at an average of 14 and an economy rate of less than 3-½ runs per over, to be among the leading performers.

“Looking at it, what was really important for us was assessing the conditions down here,” said the Barbadian, who has become a fixture in the Caribbean side ever since her debut as a teenager seven years ago.

“I think I was able to understand that really well and just do what I needed to do. I was a bit disappointed that I probably didn’t get a couple more runs but at the same time I am really, really grateful that I was able to have a huge all-round performance and contribute to team wins.”

Matthews scored 57 and picked up three wickets as West Indies Women trounced Pakistan Women by 45 runs in the opening ODI.

- Advertisement -

The 23-year-old maintained her form with the ball in the second game, claiming four wickets to help the tourists defend a paltry 153 and win by 37 runs.

Matthews shone again with the bat in Sunday’s convincing six-wicket victory, stroking an entertaining 49 in an 83-run fourth wicket stand with captain Stafanie Taylor (102 not out), to dig the innings out of trouble at 15 for three in the fifth over.

“From the time I went out there, I mentioned to her (Taylor) we just needed to stick in for a while and she said the same exact thing to me,” recounted Matthews.

“I think our first target was just to get out of the powerplay and get to that tenth over. I think it just so happened that we were able to pick up boundaries at regular intervals which worked out well for us, and probably eased a little of the pressure off ourselves by getting the scoring rate up a bit.”

Matthews’s performance was in stark contrast to her returns when South Africa Women toured the Caribbean recently for a five-match ODI series, when she scraped 71 runs from five matches and managed only two wickets from 41 overs.

She pointed to the quality of the pitch at the National Stadium here, noting it had allowed her to execute her skills.

“I always try my absolute best to do as well as I possibly can for the team,” she stressed.

“We have players who have been working really hard for a good while and I’m just really happy I was able to come down here and execute well.

“The wicket was really good down here constantly so it was really good that I could both bat and bowl well on it. I’m happy I got in some performances but even more happy for a team win.”

More Stories

Vishnu Dhanpaul Trinidad cabinet

New Trinidad PM Stuart Young announces new cabinet appointments

Newly-appointed Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Stuart Young has unveiled his Cabinet, introducing several new appointments while retaining many key ministers. The official announcement...
Bahamas Health Minister

Bahamas Health Minister defends Cuban health workers amid US criticism

Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville has defended the presence of Cuban health workers in The Bahamas, emphasizing their crucial role in the country’s optometry...
Trinidad Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley

Dr. Keith Rowley calls for Trinidad to leave Privy Council in final address as PM

Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley used his final address in office to make a passionate case for Trinidad and Tobago’s exit from the...
Stuart Young

Stuart Young sworn in as Trinidad and Tobago’s 8th Prime Minister

In a historic ceremony at the President's House this morning, Stuart Young was sworn in as the 8th Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,...
Horace Chang Jamaica

Jamaica on track for historic low murder rate, says Minister Chang

Jamaica could be on track to record fewer than 1,000 murders in a single year for the first time in recent history, as the...
Guyana G7

G7 condemns Venezuela’s naval threats against Guyana

The G7 nations have issued a strong rebuke to Venezuela over its continued naval incursions into Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), calling them “unacceptable”...
Audrey Marks, Delano Seiveright

Senators Audrey Marks, Delano Seiveright appointed to ministerial roles

Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness has appointed two newly sworn-in government senators, Audrey Marks and Delano Seiveright, to ministerial positions, reinforcing his Administration’s focus...
Antigua and Barbuda says it will accept nationals deported from the US

Antigua and Barbuda seeks clarification on draft US travel ban proposal

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has formally sought clarification from the United States following reports that the Caribbean nation could be among the...
Andrew Holness

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness hints at election announcement ‘very soon’

Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness has hinted that the countdown to general elections has begun, telling supporters that “every Jamaican will be called upon...
West Indies Women cruise to victory as Dottin, Matthews deliver masterclass

West Indies Women set for high-stakes clash against Scotland in World Cup Qualifiers

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The journey to cricket’s grandest stage intensifies as the West Indies Women’s team embarks on its mission to secure...

Latest Articles

Skip to content