Matthews epic gets Windies home in incredible T20

Hayley Matthews hammered a remarkable century to see West Indies pull off the highest run chase in the history of women’s T20Is, reeling in a target of 213 to level the three-game series at North Sydney Oval.

Matthews, left stranded one run shy of her second T20I century a day earlier, would not be denied second time around.

The Windies skipper skipper’s magnificent 64-ball 132 saw the Windies seal a seven-wicket victory with a ball to spare on a day that saw a record 425 runs scored at the iconic Sydney ground.

Phoebe Litchfield had earlier stuck the equal-fastest fifty in women’s T20 Internationals to help Australia to 6-212, but Matthews stole the show in an innings that featured 20 fours and five sixes.

She was bowled by Jess Jonassen with her team still needing nine off seven but had done enough to see the tourists defeat Australia for just the second time in a T20I and the first since the 2016 T20 World Cup final.

Ashleigh Gardner had to defend eight off the last over – and with only three fielders out due to slow over rates – but Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbell saw their team home on the penultimate ball.

The West Indies captain got going with three consecutives fours off the bowling of Darcie Brown, and after being put down in the deep by Schutt on 30 she made the Australians pay.

She hit 17 runs off Jess Jonassen's next over to bring up a second straight fifty off 26 balls and kept up the assault when Tahlia McGrath was brought into the attack, smacking 4, 6, 4.

Australia captain Alyssa Healy struggled to find a way to contain Matthews as the 25-year-old – in the form of her life coming off six straight player-of-the-match performances in T20Is – put on a remarkable display primarily targeting the off-side.

The Windies had lost Shabika Gajnabi (1) in the third over but Matthews found support in former skipper Stafanie Taylor, who was contained early but then opened her shoulders, hitting 10 fours on her way to a 35-ball half-century.

Matthews was gifted a second chance on 87 when Litchfield put down a chance at cover next over and shortly after brought up her first T20I century, off 54 balls, with a powerfully struck cover drive off Schutt for four.

In the process she became just the third woman to score a T20I ton against Australia after England’s Danni Wyatt and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu.

Not content, Matthews repeated the dose a ball later before a booming maximum over long off.

Schutt hit back to bowl Taylor for 59, but Matthews remained with the Windies needing 28 off 18 balls to create history – and the Windies skipper ensured it happened.

No Australian bowler was spared Matthews’ wrath, with Schutt (2-30 off four) the most economical on a difficult night in the field for all seven options used by Healy.

It sets up a thrilling series finale at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field on Thursday night.

Earlier, Ellyse Perry (70 off 46) laid the foundation for Australia’s 6-212 but it was 20-year-old Litchfield who stole the show, hitting five sixes in an unbeaten 52 off 19 deliveries.

She reached her fifty in 18 balls, equalling New Zealand captain Sophie Devine’s fastest T20I half-century scored against India in 2015.

Litchfield, playing just her second T20I innings in four matches since her debut last December, was given the nod over explosive batter Grace Harris at No.6 for this T20I series.

The Orange product headed into the international home season fresh off a breakout tournament at The Hundred, where she finished third on the overall runs table, scoring 279 runs striking at 132.85 batting in the top order for Northern Superchargers.

Denied a chance to bat in Sunday’s eight-wicket win, the left-hander arrived at the crease on Monday night with Australia 4-87 in the 12th over.

Perry was set having raced to 50 off 34 balls, but the Aussies had already lost Healy (0), Tahlia McGrath (4), Beth Mooney (29 off 22) and Ashleigh Gardner (2) after being sent in by Matthews.

The second delivery she faced went for six, pulled over fine leg.

Perry departed next over – ending a partnership that added 33 runs in three overs – but Litchfield barely missed a beat, hitting back-to-back maximums off Henry – the first another perfectly timed pull shot, the second a massive strike over long off.

Tardy over rates from the tourists only aided Litchfield’s cause, with the West Indies permitted just three fielders outside the circle for the final two overs as she launched her final attack.

With Devine’s record in her sights, sitting on 38 off 15 deliveries with four balls remaining in the innings, Litchfield hit Aaliyah Alleyne back-to-back fours then dispatched a full toss over the rope to equal the Kiwi legend.

Aiding her cause were Annabel Sutherland (13 off 6) and Georgia Wareham (32no off 13), who ensured there was no respite for the Windies attack.

In all, 129 runs came off the 8.2 overs Litchfield spent in the middle, taking Australia to their fourth highest T20I total.

CommBank T20s v West Indies 2023

First T20: Australia won by eight wickets

Second T20: West Indies won by seven wickets

Third T20: October 5, Allan Border Field, 7.05pm AEDT

CommBank ODIs v West Indies 2023

First ODI: October 8, Allan Border Field, 10.35am AEDT

Second ODI: October 12, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

First ODI: October 14, Junction Oval, 10.05am AEDT

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris (T20Is only), Jess Jonassen, Alana King (ODIs only), Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

West Indies squad: Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Djenaba Joseph, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams