Aussies ‘need to fix’ bowling execution, drops: Healy

Alyssa Healy says Australia’s execution with the ball and in the field "let ourselves down" as an unstoppable Hayley Matthews played an innings for the ages to lead West Indies in a history-making chase in the second T20I.

But the Australia captain does not believe there is a more concerning trend emerging for her team, who have lost three of their last four T20I matches having won 33 out of 34 prior to that.

Matthews’ 64-ball 132 saw the Windies reel in Australia’s 6-212 to pull off the highest run chase in women’s T20 Internationals, supported by former skipper Stafanie Taylor’s 59 off 41.

The West Indies captain is in career-best form and dominated Australia’s well-credentialed attack, but was also given two lives, put down on 30 by Megan Schutt at deep point, before Phoebe Litchfield put down a regulation chance at cover when she was on 87.

The eight-wicket loss was Australia’s first in the format at North Sydney Oval, and only their second ever T20I defeat to West Indies.

"I think it was an unbelievable knock ... she's in some serious form which we're going to have to contend with the next four games," Healy reflected after West Indies’ eight-wicket win.

"I'll have a proper look at it when we get downstairs and review it, but I just think we were too wide all day.

"You look at the way that she swings the bat, she's batting on leg stump, basically trying to open up the off-side and I think we just gave her a little bit too much room in that department today.

"She gave a few chances and we let ourselves down in that department, especially in T20 it's hard to drop a player like that and expect that you're going to get away with it.

"So a few little key areas that we can take away … but we are just probably not executing when we really need to which we need to fix."

Matthews’ 132 followed the unbeaten 99 she had hit at the same venue just a day earlier and Australia will need to find a way to counteract the in-form allrounder with one T20I and three ODIs to come in this series.

Australia likewise struggled for answers against Natalie Sciver-Brunt during the ODI leg of the Ashes, when the England superstar hit back-to-back centuries in the final two matches.

"I wouldn't say it's a concern, I think they're really good players, right?" Healy said.

"We've just got to match it. We've got all the plans that we could possibly have in our heads and we've got the skills to be able to do it out there.

"It just comes down to execution.

"I think if you're only hitting the stumps at 20 per cent tonight, you're asking for trouble knowing how small the ground is.

"I wouldn't say it's a concern.

"We said all along that there's going to be periods where we could potentially lose games of cricket and that's happening, and I think that it's a good opportunity for us to learn from what is going wrong and try and fix it for the next one."

While Australia will review their bowling and fielding ahead of Thursday’s series decider at Allan Border Field, their batting was again on song in Monday’s second T20I.

After losing Healy and McGrath early to be 2-7, aggressive innings from Ellyse Perry (70 off 46), Phoebe Litchfield (52no off 19) and Georgia Wareham (32no off 13) helped the hosts post their fourth highest T20I total.

"That's the blueprint, we were two for seven and still put 212 on the board," Healy said.

"I think that throughout the Ashes we might have gone back into our shells a little bit.

"We noticed the other night as soon as we may put a little bit of pressure back on the bowlers, we got some loose bowling and we're cashing in on that at the moment, which I think is really crucial moving forward.

"I think at times during the Ashes when we put pressure on the England bowlers, we let them back in the game somehow."

Australia and West Indies will fly to Brisbane on Tuesday and have a day to prepare ahead of Thursday’s clash.

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