LONDON, CMC – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews struck an impressive half-century and bowled a tidy spell, and Welsh Fire claimed a tense four-run win to end the unbeaten home run of Southern Brave in the Women’s Hundred yesterday in England.
The 25-year-old struck 13 fours and played a wide array of strokes in the top of 65 from 38 balls and was the rock upon which the Fire built a total of 165 for three from their 100 balls in the match at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
Matthews followed up with a spell of one for 35 from her 20 balls and defended nine in the final set, and the Fire defied half-centuries from England batsman Danni Wyatt and India batsman Smriti Mandhana to claim their first of the tournament and move to the top of the table on three points.
An opening of 80 from 44 balls between Matthews and England opener Tammi Beaumont set the tone for the Fire, but they needed an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 48 from the last 38 between Sarah Bryce, not out 21, and England international Georgia Elwiss, not out 28, to get them to a decent total.
Mandhana was not out 70 and Wyatt made 67, and they shared 96 off the first 58 balls of the innings, but pacer Alex Griffiths took two wickets to hinder the chase.
Matthews took centre stage in the final over when got South African Chloe Tryon stumped off the first ball for eight, and then restricted Mandhana and Freya Kemp – run out off the last ball – to only three singles off her remaining deliveries to secure a historic win for the Fire.
