MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (CMC):
Hayley Matthews says her hundred against New Zealand in Friday’s opening game of the ICC Women’s World Cup has provided her with a confidence booster for the coming matches.
The 23-year-old struck a career-best 119 – her third One-Day International century – as the Caribbean side defeated the hosts by three runs in a sensation finish at Bay Oval.
A late choice to open the innings following injury to Rashada Williams, the right-hander said she overcame nerves before finding her stride.
“[It has] definitely given me a lot of confidence, I guess, [to] go out there and bat my skills,” Matthews told reporters.
“I was pretty edgy knowing that I had to open on such short notice, but yeah, I’m happy that I got the opportunity and was able to make the most of it.
“I think just going forward into this tournament … I’ll be looking to try and do the same thing as much as I possibly can.”
Matthews has batted at the top of the order before, but has settled in the middle order in recent months with the emergence of Williams.
Ironically, though, her two previous ODI hundreds – against Pakistan last July and South Africa three years ago – also came while opening.
STYLISH STROKEMAKER
However, the stylish strokemaker said she was open to playing anywhere in the order, depending on team requirements.
“Obviously, I’ve been shuffled around the order a little bit over the past maybe eight or nine months, but at the same time, I think my job is to do as best as I possibly can for the team wherever they need me,” she noted.
“I think when I got the call that I had to go up the order, it was just about me going out there and doing as best as I possibly could, and I got some [runs].”
Matthews hardly put a foot wrong during her knock, facing 128 balls and counting 16 fours and a six. She cruised to her 50 off just 55 deliveries and reached triple figures off 118 deliveries.
With West Indies in trouble at 39 for two in the sixth over, Matthews guided them to safety by anchoring a 66-run, third-wicket stand with captain Stafanie Taylor (30), a 60-run, fourth-wicket partnership with Shemaine Campbelle (20), before adding a further 55 for the fifth wicket with Chedean Nation (36).
“I think, initially, going out there to open, I probably thought I’ll try to take it a bit steady – obviously, [I] haven’t opened the batting in a couple of months,” she said.
“I think when we got out there and saw how good the wicket was playing, I was able to capitalise without trying too much, and I think that’s pretty much how I just played my whole innings – take it ball by ball, set small targets with my partner [and look] for partnerships.
“That happened to work really well, and we were able to push pretty, pretty hard at the end.”
West Indies finished on 259 for nine, and then restricted New Zealand to 256 all out, with Matthews returning to take two wickets with her off-spin.