Hayley Matthews produced a spell of magic with a superb hat-trick to lead the West Indies Women to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Ireland Women in the third T20 international at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia on Saturday night.
The West Indies captain also played brilliantly with the bat as the home team won the third match and made a clean sweep of the series.
Matthews first took 4 for 14 – including a hat-trick – to restrict Ireland to 116 for 9, and then hammered a 34-ball 48 to set up a commanding eight-wicket win with 11 balls
Ireland looked intent on posting their highest total of the series, with beautiful stroke play from Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast. The pair shared in a 66-run partnership for the second wicket when Hunter was run out for 44 off a deflection of Ashmini Munisar’s fingers. Prendergast was caught in the deep by Shabika Gajnabi off the bowling of Afy Fletcher for 40.
Rain interrupted Ireland’s innings twice before they finished on 116 for nine from their 20 overs.
Matthews saved her best bowling performance of the series for her final over, when her off-spin ripped through the wickets of Rebecca Stokell, Arlene Kelly and Ava Canning, to become the third West Indies Women’s player to take a T20I hat-trick. She finished with figures of four for 14 off their four overs, while seamer Cherry-Ann Fraser chipped in with two for 19 off three overs.
In reply, Djenaba Joseph was caught behind for two in the second over, then Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne took over the run-chase. The pair smashed 12 boundaries between them as they raced to the 117-run target.
Matthews going for her second consecutive half-century was bowled by Georgina Dempsey for 48 off 34 balls. Chinelle Henry joined Alleyne and the pair took the West Indies Women to 120 for two to secure victory in 18.1 overs. Allyene ended on 49 not out and Henry on 13 not out, as the home team eased to on 120-2.
Matthews was the most dominant performer and was expectedly named Player of the Match and Player of the Series. She took eight wickets and made 135 runs in three innings.
Matthews said: “I am pretty pleased. Coming into the series, anytime I put on my West Indies shirt I try to go out there and do really well, whether that be batting, bowling or fielding. I’m just happy I was able to contribute to the team win. It was great to see some of the younger players getting the opportunity this series and coming into their own. We’ve had debutant players perform really well. We’ve had Chinelle Henry get her maiden ODI half-century then back it up with a second one (in the series), then two not outs in the T20 series.”
She added:
“I just want to thank all the girls who have supported me since I’ve become captain. Thank you for backing me up out on the field, we have bigger challenges ahead and I look forward to their support.”
West Indies had won the three-match ODI series 2-0 after the second ODI had been washed out.