Matthews stars as Melbourne Renegades win WBBL title

MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC):

West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews put in an all-around masterclass to help the Melbourne Renegades to their maiden Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) championship following a rain-affected seven-run victory over the Brisbane Heat here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Matthews followed a brilliant knock of 69 with two crucial wickets in the second half of the match, as the Renegades posted 141 for nine and then restricted the Heat to 90 for six following their DLS-adjusted target of 98 from 12 overs.

This historic win marked a remarkable comeback for a team that had never reached a final before and finished with the wooden spoon last season. Their campaign began with three losses in their first five games but culminated in a stunning six-game winning streak to lift the trophy.

Matthews anchored the innings while seizing every opportunity to find boundaries. The Barbadian partnered with Georgia Wareham, who contributed a steady 21 off 21 balls, to add 41 runs for the fourth wicket, to stabilize the innings.

After Wareham’s dismissal, Matthews shifted gears, smashing three boundaries off Shikha Pandey during the Power Surge. Matthews and Naomi Stalenburg, who chipped in with 16 key runs, added 45 runs for the fifth wicket. Charlie Knott was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 28 runs.

Matthews reached her half-century in 47 balls and added three more boundaries in the final overs before departing for a 61-ball 69.

The Heat’s chase started disastrously, with WBBL veteran and top scorer Grace Harris falling for a duck in the first over. Jemimah Rodrigues was dismissed in the second over for one, leaving the Heat at 15 for two. Rain interrupted the game for 33 minutes, and upon resumption, the target was revised to 98 from 12 overs. The Heat soon slipped to 27 for three as Molineux removed Georgia Redmayne for 16.

The Renegades then turned to player of the match Matthews in the seventh over. Despite conceding a boundary to Jess Jonassen, Matthews struck twice in two deliveries, dismissing Charli Knott (7) and Laura Harris (0) to swing the momentum decisively. The Heat’s hopes flickered as Jonassen hit a six and a four off West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin in the 10th over, but Dottin responded by removing Lauren Winfield-Hill for three

With 30 runs required off the final two overs, the Heat managed just 11 in the penultimate over. Needing 19 from the final six balls, captain Sophie Molineux bowled a clutch over, holding her nerve to secure the Renegades’ long-awaited place in history.