Mixed day for Matthews, Dottin

CARDIFF, Wales – West Indies Women’s star Hayley Matthews snatched a brace of wickets but failed with the bat as her Welsh Fire crashed to a fourth straight defeat with a seven-wicket loss to international teammate Deandra Dottin’s London Spirit on Wednesday.

Playing in their eighth match of the inaugural Hundred at Sophia Gardens, Fire could only muster 95 for nine from their 100 deliveries and Spirit easily overhauled the target with 42 balls to spare.

Fire are bottom of the eight-team standings on four points from two wins while Spirit are fourth on eight points from four wins and four defeats in their eight appearances.

Sent in, Fire lost Bryony Smith for 13 with the score on 15 but Matthews, who managed only seven, stayed around with top-scorer Georgia Redmayne (35) to put on 30 for the second wicket.

Matthews spent 12 balls at the crease but never really found her touch and eventually missed a sweep at off-spinner Deepti Sharma (2-14), and was lbw to the 35th ball of the innings.

Redmayne, who faced 28 deliveries and struck half-dozen fours, added a further 21 for the sixth wicket with Georgia Hennessy (11) before departing to the 68th ball of the innings, giving captain Heather Knight (2-17) her second wicket.

In reply, Dottin failed with 12 but Knight and Danielle Gibson both finished on 34 not out to steer Spirit to an easy win.

Matthews (2-28) gave Fire a fighting chance when she removed opener Chloe Tryon for four and then Dottin with her off-spin to reduce the innings to 36 for three after 25 balls but Knight and Gibson put on 60 off 33 balls in an unbroken fourth wicket stand, to erase any doubt over the result.

Southern Brave, featuring in-form West Indies Women captain Stafanie Taylor, are perched on top of the standings on 14 points, with seven wins from their eight outings. (CMC)