MELBOURNE, Australia, CMC – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews has been given charge of Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League, after a knee injury forced regular skipper Sophie Molineux out of the entire season.
The 25-year-old Matthews, who was appointed West Indies captain last year, was chosen ahead of the likes of India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and England’s Tammy Beaumont who leads Welsh Fire in the Hundred.
Matthews’s form in the recent Twenty20 International series against Australia Women was likely a deciding factor for Renegades, the right-handed opener plundering 310 runs in three matches with scores of 99 not out, 132 and 79.
“Hayley captained our team after Soph got injured last year and did a great job. The girls have great respect for her,” said Renegades coach Simon Helmot.
“She’s captain of West Indies and is at the height of her powers at the moment, both as a player but also in leadership.
“To have her, with the experience of Jess Duffin, Harmanpreet Kaur and our vice-captain Georgia Wareham, it’s a real positive for us.
“Hayley is really invested in our club, she had a fantastic time last year and she wants to see us become more successful.”
Matthews is the number one all-rounder in the International Cricket Council T20I rankings and is also ranked fifth in the batting charts.
She possesses a wealth of experience, having already played 88 T20Is and 80 One-Day International since making her debut as a 16-year-old.
The Barbadian said taking over the helm of the West Indies side from Stafanie Taylor 17 months ago had led to improvements in her game.
“Honestly, the leadership of the team has definitely helped me to take responsibility of my game,” she said.
“That along with just learning and understanding my game a lot more from playing so much franchise and T20 cricket around the world.
“The two of those put together over the last 12 months have really helped not only with me scoring runs but scoring them consistently as well.”
Leg-spinner Wareham, one of those suffering at the hands of Matthews during the recent T20I series, said she hoped her franchise teammate brought the same form to the WBBL.
“When she was hitting us around, it was sort of like hopefully she doesn’t use them all up against Australia and can keep some for the Renegades,” Wareham said.
“The form she’s been in over the last little bit has shown that she can sort of have that consistency with her game.
“Since the WPL she just dominated that competition and ever since then she’s just been unbelievable.”
Matthews and Renegades open their season on Friday against Brisbane Heat here Friday.
