DUBAI, CMC – A tidy all-round display from West Indies Women’s all-rounder Hayley Matthews was overshadowed by a stunning hundred from Chamari Athapathu that led Falcons to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Warriors in the Fairbreak Invitational Women’s Twenty20 yesterday.
Athapathu cracked 13 fours and five sixes in an undefeated 107 off 55 balls and shared a century opening stand with former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates to set up the Falcons’ successful chase of 178 for victory in the opening match of the tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Bates hit eight fours and one six in 60 from 43 balls but she was prepared to play second fiddle to her Sri Lankan opening partner and they put on 133 for the first wicket to give the Falcons an impressive foundation.
Hometown off-spinner Esha Oza made the breakthrough for Warriors in the 14th over when she got Bates caught at backward point before Matthews had Theertha Satish caught at deep mid-wicket for nine in the 18th over with 15 needed.
Athapathu ended the match in grand style, when she got a thick inside edge off Scotland Women’s pacer Kathryn Bryce to deep fine leg for four to reach her milestone from 54 balls before swinging the next delivery from the same bowler over the backward square leg boundary for six with eight balls remaining in the match.
Matthews ended with the most economical figures for Warriors of 1-23 from four overs, and her Windies Women’s teammate, pacer Shamilia Connell failed to take a wicket and conceded 39 in her allotted four overs.
Britney Cooper, another Windies Women’s player, is part of the Falcons squad, but did not play.
Earlier, Matthews struck seven fours and two sixes in 58 from 35 balls and shared 90 for the first wicket with Georgia Redmayne to anchor Warriors to 177 for two from their 20 overs after they were put in to bat.
Matthews was caught at deep mid-wicket off Hong Kong Women’s pacer Mariko Hill in the 10th over, but Redmayne, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman from Australia, was the linchpin of the innings.
She carried her bat for the top score of 80 not out from 60 balls decorated with 11 boundaries and shared a 57-run partnership for the second wicket with her captain Sindhu Sriharsha and dominated the closing stages to enhance her side’s final total.
In today’s double header, Tornadoes, a side led by West Indies Women’s captain Stafanie Taylor, will taste their first action when they meet South Coast Sapphires, led by Pakistani Sana Mir, after which Deandra Dottin, the self-proclaimed “World Boss” and Windies Women’s teammate Shemaine Campbelle will face Spirit, led by another Pakistani, Bismah Maroof.
The six-team slugfest, organised in conjunction with Cricket Hong Kong, features 90 players from 36 countries in 19 matches, and it is the world’s first privately-funded women’s tournament.
The final of the tournament takes place on May 15.
Summarised scores:
WARRIORS 177 for two off 20 overs (Georgia Redmayne 80 not out, Hayley Matthews 58 not out).
FALCONS 178 for two off 18.4 overs (Chamari Athapathu 107 not out, Suzie Bates 60 not out).
Falcons won by eight wickets.
