Matthews stands tall but Healy, McGrath power Australia to victory
Australia conquered a marvelous innings from West Indies chief Hayley Matthews to take the opening T20I in Sydney by an agreeable eight-wicket edge with Alyssa Healy denoting her 250th worldwide by crushing a 25-ball 50 years.
On a smothering natural aquifer day, a depleted Matthews was left abandoned on 99 when she could accumulate singles in the last over as her efforts caused significant damage yet it had been an assertion innings from the chief who had discussed needing to lead from the front.
Notwithstanding, West Indies all out of 147 was placed into setting on a generally high-scoring ground by the manner in which Healy and Tahlia McGrath destroyed the objective with 40 balls in excess.
Beth Mooney fell in the third over when she chipped to mid-off however Healy and McGrath devoured West Indies’ bowling in a stand of 85 off 40 balls with the pair hitting six sixes between them.
Healy hustled to her 50 years by taking 14 off Zaida James’ first finish despite the fact that had been given lives on 27 and 48. Both were guideline risks: the first by Matthews at cover and the second by Shemaine Campbelle which struck her in the face causing a physical issue.
McGrath was just partially slower, requiring only 26 balls for her fifty as she took three limits in an over off Shamilia Connell.
In the end phases of the pursuit, Aaliyah Alleyne was removed from the assault for two beamers at McGrath and Debris Gardner.
It was a more cleaned show with the bat by Australia than it had been in the field which included two drop gets – by Georgia Wareham and Phoebe Litchfield – and several misfields on the limit.
Matthews’ innings was the most elevated score for West Indies against Australia in any arrangement. It proceeded with a great year wherein she found the middle value of more than 40 in T20Is and she had entered this series on the rear of a player-of-the-match execution in the WCPL last.
She was rapidly over a run-a-ball and took on Darcie Brown in a retaining fight as the Australia pace bowler pushed the speed firearm towards 120kph. Matthews passed through cover, pulled a level six over profound square leg then edged wide of slip before Brown crashed her on the protective cap with a short ball.
Her fifty came up from 36 conveyances and minutes after the fact she added one more six off the costly Brown with a derisive flick over in reverse square.
However splendid as Matthew might have been, nonetheless, her partners battled to match her. The joined count of different hitters was 30 off 49 balls. Opener Shabika Gajnabi absorbed six conveyances prior to delaying against Brown and Stafanie Taylor worked to 10 off 20 in a stand of 68 preceding being run out by an immediate hit from Litchfield at cover.
Campbell additionally fell behind Matthews’ beat despite the fact that dealt with the greatest strike of the innings when she jump-started McGrath out of the gathering over profound midwicket.
Megan Schutt, in her 100th T20I, was the pick of the Australia assault with only 15 runs from her four overs (and 11 of those fell off her last) and the spell likewise incorporated a lady.
