HAYLEY Matthews again etched her name into the history books with a sensational unbeaten century, her third in T20 Internationals and the first ever by a West Indian woman against England, but her brilliance proved in vain as they slumped to an eight-wicket defeat in the opening T20I in Canterbury on Wednesday.

On a sun-kissed evening at the St Lawrence Ground, Matthews, as is often the case, was a lone beacon of resistance in the West Indies lineup, as she produced a dazzling 100 not out off just 67 deliveries, laced with 16 crisp fours and a solitary six.

It was a captain’s knock brimming with timing, touch, and temperament, but the lack of meaningful support from the rest of the batting cast left West Indies with a modest 146-7 from their 20 overs.

England, in contrast, made light work of the chase, as they reached the target at 150-2 with 21 balls to spare. Sophia Dunkley was imperious with a stroke-filled 81 not out, while Heather Knight added a brisk, unbeaten 43. The pair’s unbroken 91-run stand for the third wicket swept the hosts to victory at a canter.

Having won the toss and opting to field, England were immediately on top with the ball. Lauren Bell struck early, removing Qiana Joseph (two) and Zaida James (zero) cheaply, while the West Indies’ top and middle order crumbled under tight lines and poor shot selection. Only wicketkeeper Mandy Mangru (17) and Shabika Gajnabi (11) offered little resistance in the innings.

All the while, Matthews stood tall in an innings, which was a masterclass in anchoring and acceleration, as she kept her composure while wickets tumbled around her. It was the kind of knock that deserved a competitive total, but with no batter reaching even 20, Matthews was left carrying the innings alone.
In reply, England started at a brisk pace, though the West Indies missed an opportunity as Jannillea Glasgow, at short third, dropped Danni Wyatt-Hodge in the opening over. However, the opener was eventually dismissed for 17 by Zaida James.

Afy Fletcher then removed Nat Sciver-Brunt (zero), but Dunkley’s elegant stroke play and Knight’s authoritative presence nullified any pressure. The pair rotated the strike fluently and punished anything loose, denying the West Indies any hope of a comeback. Dunkley’s 56-ball

had 12 boundaries, while Knight had six boundaries in her 27-ball knock.(Sportsmax)