GEORGETOWN, Guyana– Captain Hayley Matthews perished agonizingly short of a century as Barbados rebounded from their T20 Blaze disappointment with a crushing 149-run victory over the Windward Islands in their opening match of the Women’s Super50 Cup.
Opting to bat first here Thursday, Barbados piled up 227 for two off their 50 overs, with Matthews dismissed for 99 off 133 deliveries. Barbados captain Hayley Matthews … narrowly missed out on a hundred. (file photo)
Her left-handed opening partner Kycia Knight made 72 from 108 balls, while Kyshona Knight chipped in with 27 not out.
In reply, the Windwards folded for a meager 78 in the 24th overs, the innings destroyed by new-ball pacers Shania Bruce (4-48) and Shamillia Connell (3-9), with first change seamer Aaliyah Alleyne supporting with two for 14.
Uncapped Jathina Joseph top-scored with 18, while the 40-year-old Pearl Etienne, who played the last of her eight one-dyers and 13 T20 Internationals a decade ago, chimed in with 16, batting at number 11.
Once Matthews and Kycia Knight combined in an opening stand of 177 to dominate the contest’s first half at the Guyana National Stadium, there was little hope of a Windwards comeback.
Matthews struck eight fours, reaching her half-century off 71 deliveries at the start of the 23rd over, while Kycia Knight followed with her landmark in the 29th over with a four to the third man.
The 24-year-old Matthews appeared set for three figures when she missed a full-length delivery from pacer Etienne at the start of the 44th over and was adjudged by law.
Windwards endured a nightmare start to their run chase, slumping to nine for six in the eighth over as Connell and Bruce shared the spoils in a devastating opening burst.
Joseph and Janelle Glasgow (11) stemmed the flow of wickets in a 32-run, seventh-wicket stand, but once Glasgow edged a drive behind Bruce, Windwards lost three wickets for 13 runs in quick time.
Etienne and Gleneden Turin (10 not out) only delayed the inevitable in a 24-run last-wicket partnership.
and then 