Hayley Matthews lifts West Indies out of losing streak
Captain's unbeaten 66 breaks 15-game winless run as match goes down to the wire
Captain's unbeaten 66 breaks 15-game winless run as match goes down to the wire
Scorer: Ranjith P | Commentator: @PeterDellaPenna
10.10 pm Ireland only have themselves to blame for this. They dominated large chunks of this match. Tremendous platform of 116 for 2 derailed losing 7 for 21 off the final 28 balls in their innings. Then in the field, they missed chance after chance after chance. Matthews got the first of her reprieves on 8 and goes on to finish unbeaten on 62. Henry was second top-score with 34 and was spilled on 23. So many other misses, it's hard to keep track of them all. West Indies manage to win without Stafanie Taylor and go to 1-2 in group play, level on points with Pakistan though Pakistan have two matches in hand.
Jon: "There are some games where you feel both teams deserve to win. This is one where I think both deserve to lose."
Player of the Match is Hayley Matthews: "I think as captain and as one of the leaders in the batting lineup, we needed someone to bat through the innings and that's the role I tried to take on today. There was definitely a lot of pressure. We knew it was a score that we needed someone to bat through the innings really deep in order to get. Kudos to the Irish girls. They bowled really well and bowled in some really good areas at points in time. But I think it was a complete team effort the way Chinelle Henry came in and batted. Even Shabika Gajnabi at the end the way she was able to hold her own was really good as well. Kudos to the Irish girls for the way they bowled, but also I'm really proud of the team too. For me, I just had to take up a bit more responsibility [as captain]. At the same time, over the last couple of weeks and games, it has been helping me to bat deeper as well. It's obviously a new role that I'm taking on but it's helping me in a lot of ways."
Ireland captain Laura Delany: "[Asked if they were too tense in the field] I think we were actually pretty relaxed but that may not have reflected in the way that we fielded. I thought we batted with great intent. I think the last five overs is something that we will look at from the first innings. And then in the field, we just have to be better in the field if we want to compete with some of the best sides in the world. The best players give you one opportunity and if you don't take it, they'll take the game away from you. I'm sure there were definitely nerves out there for a lot of the girls because it's the first World Cup that they've played in. We've trained much better than that and performed much better than that so that's one area that we'll definitely want to correct ASAP. [On the Prendergast/Lewis 90-run partnership] I reckon we were probably about 30 runs short. Orla and Gabby batted really well. Orla is so confident at the moment and is making the most out of the time in the middle and I hope they continue that form into Monday. It's a tough one. We've got a very young side and a lot of these girls haven't played in a World Cup before so there will definitely be nerves that were there in the second innings but I know we are better than that. We're not here to fight, we're here to win games. That's what it comes down to. [On facing India] The best is yet to come."
Hayley Matthews again in the captains interview: "It got pretty tight in the end but it was a good all-round effort that we were able to get to the total. [On the Prendergast/Lewis partnership] I think we gave them a bit too much width but we knew a few wickets and we were right back in it. Kudos to the way Karishma Ramharack bowled. She was beautiful the way she held the team together while everything was going rough and then we were able to pull it back and get them restricted to a better total in the end. It was a great team effort to restrict Ireland to 137 after the start they got off to. We've lost a lot of games in a row so to get that first win on the board not only for the World Cup but for a long stretch now was really really good. We always knew England and India were going to be tough but I think these last two games are going to be a test of where we are at as a team. Hopefully against Pakistan we can carry this momentum going forward. [On playing without Dottin and Taylor] We're going through a bit of a transitioning phase but at the same time it's really good to see the young girls getting out. Young Zaida James and Trishan Holder were in the side today and these times are going to test us and how we can stay together as a team. We need to stay together through the wins and the losses and keep building as a group and keep getting a bigger pool together."
That's it for today's coverage. Come back tomorrow for a start-studded doubleheader as two undefeated sides - England and India - square off in the early match before the hosts South Africa take on Australia in the nightcap. I'm Peter Della Penna. Until then, take care!
S Gajnabi run out 13 (11m 7b 2x4 0x6) SR: 185.71
Confusion before Delany runs in for the start of the final over as Waldron shouts out from behind the stumps for a fielding change.
Despite shooting themselves in the foot countless times with some porous fielding, Ireland are still in with a chance in the final over with a few toes left and five runs to defend.
A T20I win has been a long time coming for the team, and while Friday's was far from perfect, it was a start - as their talismanic captain put it
Captain's unbeaten 66 breaks 15-game winless run as match goes down to the wire