Captain Hayley Matthews once again rose to the occasion, delivering a composed and commanding all-around performance to guide the West Indies to a six-wicket triumph over South Africa in the second T20I at the Three Ws Oval in Cave Hill, Barbados.
Hayley Matthews’ masterclass guides West Indies to series-leveling victory
Chasing a modest target of 114 on a slightly sluggish surface, Matthews held her nerve and showcased her class with an unbeaten 63 off 56 deliveries. Her innings, punctuated by five crisp boundaries and a towering six, anchored the West Indies innings from start to finish and ensured they chased down the target with four balls remaining. The significance of her knock was amplified by her contribution with the ball earlier in the day, returning figures of 1/15 in a tight four-over spell, including the prized wicket of Marizanne Kapp. For her exceptional all-round effort, she was adjudged the Player of the Match.
The chase began steadily as Matthews and Qiana Joseph added 41 runs for the opening wicket, laying a solid platform with intent and composure. Joseph played a brisk hand, scoring 17 off 21 balls with three boundaries before falling in the eighth over. However, the departure of Joseph triggered a brief collapse, with the West Indies losing three wickets for just 36 runs. Shawnisha Hector (3), Shemaine Campbelle (7) and Chinelle Henry (3) all departed cheaply, giving South Africa a glimmer of hope.
But Matthews held firm, expertly absorbing the pressure while rotating the strike and punishing the loose deliveries. She found a dependable partner in Jannillea Glasgow, who remained not out on 15 off 17 balls. The pair stitched together a crucial 39-run partnership for the fifth wicket that steadied the innings and saw the team home. Glasgow fittingly struck the winning boundary in the final over, piercing the offside field to seal a much-needed win for the home side.
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South Africa falter despite late flourish from Annerie Dercksen
Earlier in the day, South Africa’s innings never really gathered the momentum they would have hoped for after being put in to bat. Despite a stable start, they were unable to string together meaningful partnerships and finished with a below-par 113/6 from their 20 overs. Opener Laura Wolvaardt showed glimpses of intent before falling for 16 to teenager Jahzara Claxton, while her opening partner, Tazmin Brits, struggled to find rhythm, managing 14 off 21 balls before being dismissed by the ever-reliable Afy Fletcher.
South Africa’s middle order failed to accelerate, with Matthews delivering a key moment in the 10th over by removing the experienced Kapp for a duck. While Nadine de Klerk tried to steady the innings with a 20-run contribution and Annerie Dercksen added an unbeaten 21 towards the end, the visitors simply couldn’t string together a stand of significance, their highest partnership being just 29 runs.
The West Indies bowling attack was clinical and disciplined, adapting beautifully to the conditions on offer. Fletcher was the pick of the bowlers, conceding a miserly 13 runs in her four-over spell while claiming two vital wickets, including that of de Klerk. Her partner in spin, Karishma Ramharack, provided excellent support with figures of 2/25, applying pressure through the middle overs. With the series now tied at 1-1, the stage is set for an exciting finale as both teams gear up for the third and final T20I at the same venue on Monday.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
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