Massy WCPL 2024: Matthews hits back-to-back fifties to keep Royals unbeaten

Another batting masterclass from captain Hayley Matthews has seen the Barbados Royals overcoming the Trinbago Knight Riders and registering a comfortable seven-wicket victory with 17 balls to spare in the second match of the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
After her decisive innings of 61 not out against Guyana Amazon Warriors in the first game of the competition last Wednesday, the in-form opener Matthews again demonstrated why she is one of the world’s best cricketers in the white ball format when she struck twelve boundaries to finish unbeaten on 67 off 56 balls and see her side to a comfortable victory.
Matthews started the evening well, and never looked back. She won the toss for the second night in a row, and chose to insert the opposition — her decision being vindicated when
Chinelle Henry bowled Knight Riders opener Kycia Knight for a duck with the very first ball of the match.

It was a sign of things to come, as wickets fell in a procession soon after, and the Knight Riders’ total of 113/9 never looked enough to challenge the Royals’ stellar batting card; and so it proved when Matthews hit the winning four off Shikha Pandey from the first ball of the 18th over.
The Royals, champions in the 2023 tournament, have two wins from two games, and look the team to beat in the early stages of this year’s WCPL.
They obliterated the Knight Riders’ top order to leave them reeling on 57/6 at the halfway stage of the innings, and it was thanks to Shikha Pandey and Zaida James that the Knight Riders reached the total that they did.
A partnership of exactly 50 runs off 47 deliveries for the seventh wicket helped Deandra Dottin’s side bat out their allotted overs and post a total of 113/9. Pandey, in particular, played well, top scoring for her side with 30 runs, her deft cuts and manipulation of the ball into the gaps being impressive in the face of tight bowling.
Matthews took a fine diving catch in the outfield, and topped off a sparkling Player of the Match performance by bowling both Zaida James and Jazhara Claxton to take 2-21 with the ball.
For the second match in a row, the Royals bowlers have impressed with their bowling and shared the wickets around; Henry, Matthews and Wellington each picking up two wickets, and Qiana Joseph and Aaliyah Alleyne each pocketing one. This Barbados side is firing in all departments. (CPLT20)