Alyssa Healy, playing in her 250th match, scored a
half-century in just 25 balls as Australia won the inaugural T20I in Sydney
despite a brilliant performance from West Indies captain Hayley Matthews.
An tired Matthews was left stranded on 99 when she
could only gather singles in the final over on a stiflingly hot spring day, as
her efforts took a toll. Nevertheless, it had been a statement innings from the
captain, who had previously stated that she wanted to lead from the front.
However, Healy and Tahlia McGrath’s demolition of the
target with 40 balls to spare placed West Indies’ score of 147 into perspective
on a field known for producing high scoring totals.
Beth Mooney was bowled out in the third over after
chipping to mid-off, but Healy and McGrath feasted on West Indies’ bowling,
putting up an 85-run stand off just 40 balls while each of them struck six
sixes.
Despite receiving lives on 27 and 48, Healy quickly
reached her half-century by knocking 14 off Zaida James’ first over. Both
opportunities—the first by Matthews at cover and the second by Shemaine
Campbelle, who hit her in the face and suffered an injury—were legal chances.
Despite being slightly slower than the other players,
McGrath needed just 26 balls to reach her fifty while hitting three boundaries
in one over from Shamilia Connell.
In any format, West Indies’ greatest score versus
Australia came from Matthews’ innings. She has averaged over 40 in T20Is this
season, and she came into this series coming off a player-of-the-match
performance in the WCPL final. It continued her remarkable year.
She rapidly moved past a run-a-ball and engaged
Australia’s Darcie Brown in a thrilling match as the pace bowler’s speed gauge
approached 120 kph. Before Brown hit her on the head with a short ball,
Matthews drove through cover, pulled a flat six over a deep square leg, and
then edged away from the slip.
As brilliant as Matthew was, however, her team-mates
struggled to match her. The combined tally of the other batters was 30 off 49
balls.
Megan Schutt, in her 100th T20I, was the pick of the
Australia attack with just 15 runs from her four overs (and 11 of those came
off her last) and the spell also included a maiden.