West Indies women’s captain, Hayley Matthews is calling for the batters to get more runs on the board if they are to salvage a series win over New Zealand Women.
Matthews spoke to the media following a five-wicket loss to see New Zealand move ahead in the five-match T20 series 2-1. In that match, West Indies women were kept to 93 for nine.
After the match, Matthews said, “I think anytime in a T20 game we put 93 runs on the board we figure we are a bunch too short there but I think coming into the bowling half, I think the girls did a really good job to bring the game so close.”
She added, “I think the consensus of the entire series has been us not putting enough runs on the board and definitely something we have to look at in the final two T20s.”
Looking ahead, the opener reckoned that one of their top batters need to go deep if they are to score heavily and was cognizant of the young team in the absence of mainstays, Stafanie Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle.
“I feel as though we probably need to have one of our main batters batting a bit deeper, even from the top and hopefully accumulate a couple more singles and do a bit of running between the wicket throughout the middle overs,” she said.
Matthews, who is ranked fifth in the women’s T20 all-rounders list, top scored with 30 and picked up a career best bowling figures of 4-12. On this performance she said, “I think the pressure was pretty much on from the time we went out there to bowl. I think really and truly I was focused on hitting my areas, trying to put my plans in place and execute and I think the wicket was helpful for spinners today and I was able to get some wickets fortunately.”
On her batting, she highlighted, “I think staying focused, working on both aspects of my game and it was pretty pleasing I could get the rewards. Its bittersweet being on the losing end of things, but I just hope I can go out there and do well and be a bit more consistent with my scoring.”
