Recap: Barbados Royals Women Defeat Guyana Amazon Warriors Women in Thrilling Opening Match of 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League

The Royals had a fantastic start to their run chase, getting nine runs off the first over, all from Matthews. The 26-year-old hit Tryon for a four off the first ball, repeated the trick three balls later, and then took a single off the last ball.

Matthews then took five more from Ismail, a boundary and a single. Burns kept her more in check, with just a single, whilst Redmayne got off the mark. Then Matthews hit her fourth four to advance the score to 20 without loss.

Redmayne finally got some more strikes against Ramharack, advancing her score to five. Matthews moved on to 22, and the total was 27 after four.

The Royals lost their first wicket, Redmayne, with five overs gone and 30 runs on the tins. Matthews, meanwhile, continued to find the ropes.

Rashada Williams was bowled by Latchman for two, bringing Alleyne to the crease to join the skipper. Alleyne looked in good nick, adding five runs off 10 balls. But she was unfortunately found out of her crease to begin the 10th over.

With a first-ball four of her own, Laura Harris took the Royals to 49-3 at the halfway stage. But she departed two balls later, falling to Ismail.

Joseph joined her fellow left-hander, and the two added a useful 42-run partnership in just under five overs. Joseph allowed just six dot balls from the 20 balls she faced, and hit three fours, ending with 24 before bowled by Ismail, the third wicket for the 35-year-old South African.

By then, though, only 27 runs were needed from 29 balls. Matthews was 44 not out from 43 balls, having hit six fours, well set to push the score on.

But it was Chinelle Henry facing. The 29-year-old Jamaican was gifted four leg byes by Ismail and Warriors wicketkeeper Winfield-Hill. She got four more off the bat, taking the score to an even 100. Then she became Ismail’s fourth wicket.

The tide had firmly turned in the Royals’ favour by this stage, however. It came in further still when Matthews took two runs off Selman to begin the 17th over. It was just the second over for Selman, her first yielding 11 runs.

Wellington’s run-out for nought ended up being for naught, from the Warriors perspective. Matthews brought up her 50 with the next ball, stroking it once more to the boundary. She reached the milestone off 47 balls.

After 17 overs, the Royals needed 12 from 18 to earn their fifth win in five games over the Warriors. The experienced Afy Fletcher joined her captain, and the two brought the equation down to eight needed from 12, though Fletcher was bowled by Burns.

Now came Shabika Gajnabi, whose six balls faced failed to produce a run. The Warriors were showing signs of life.

Seven runs needed. Six balls left. Two wickets in hand. Hayley Matthews on strike on 54.

Two runs from the first ball. Five needed off five. A dot ball, followed by a brilliant throw from Ismail do for Gajnabi run out. Four needed from four, and Hayley Matthews the right woman to have at bat. She found the gap twice and sealed victory by one wicket and with one ball remaining in the innings.

Matthews’ third half century in a Royals uniform, and her 10th overall in franchise cricket, takes her to 395 runs in just 10 innings in the WCPL. The queens are off to a thrilling start, as they push to retain their title in the coming days. (TF)