West Indies (140-4, 19.5 overs) (Hayley Matthews 66 not out; Leah Paul 1-26) beat Ireland (137-9, 20 overs) (Orla Prendergast 61; Shamilia Connell 3-24) by six wickets
One side’s streak had to end. Ireland had played 15 T20 World Cup matches without a win. West Indies, Ireland’s opponents in Cape Town on Friday night, had lost their previous 15 T20 internationals, World Cup or otherwise.
Under the lights at Newlands, it was the Caribbean side who broke their torrid run, Hayley Matthews’ knock of 66 seeing the West Indies home by six wickets in a tense final over finish.
A middle order collapse once again came back to haunt Ireland, a run of seven wickets lost for just 22 runs undoing the good work of Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast after they put on 90 runs off just 67 balls for the second wicket.
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Lewis showed progress from her innings during Wednesday’s defeat to Pakistan, this time recovering from a slow start to unfurl a series of shots down the ground and sweeps through the leg side. She initially played second fiddle to Prendergast who, after threatening to fire twice already in this competition, cashed in with a magnificent innings of 61 off 47.
[ T20 World Cup: Pakistan put Ireland to the sword in Cape TownOpens in new window ]
The Pembroke all-rounder entered in the second over after West Indies troubled Ireland with early swing. Amy Hunter departed when trying to use her feet to counteract the movement, Trishan Holder taking a good catch at mid wicket over her shoulder.
Prendergast also counteracted by using her feet, her ability to hit through the off side bringing up a series of boundaries that flipped the early pressure back on the West Indies.
They responded by bringing spin into the attack, Hayley Matthews initially reining in the scoring. Prendergast hit back once again, climbing into a towering slog sweep over the leg side. Her innings was Ireland’s highest score at a T20 World Cup, but its ending was a touch soft, a leading edge off a full toss offering a simple chance in the ring.
Lewis then took on the aggressor role, driving beautifully down the ground before she missed a sweep and was given out LBW. From there, Ireland’s familiar middle order woes reared their head. A series of dismissals caught in the ring, combined with one bowled dismissal and a run out, stalled the momentum.
At one point 150+ was on the cards. Instead, the final total of 137 felt on the light side.
The key for the West Indies’ chase was always going to be Hayley Matthews. Opening the batting, she was dropped by Amy Hunter in the second over, though Ireland’s opening batter later made amends when running out Rashada Williams following a mix-up.
It wasn’t Ireland’s last drop, and it wasn’t their last costly one. Chinelle Henry (34 off 28), in after Laura Delany removed Shermaine Campbell, was put down both at mid on and deep cover, the latter costing a boundary as part of a late flurry that took the game away from Ireland.
Matthews continued to find the fence just as pressure was building. Despite Delany finally holding on to a chance to dismiss Henry, Shabika Gajnabi came out swinging, finding the rope twice to ensure just six were required off the final over.
The captain Delany took the responsibility of the final set upon herself. Despite a horrendous run-out mix-up and a marginal LBW decision going against Ireland, Matthews hit the winning runs with a ball to spare, breaking her side’s losing streak and ensuring Ireland’s wait for a T20 World Cup win goes on.
