17 February - Cape Town - West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Hi Haley, congratulations. Can you just talk us through that chase? I mean at what point did you think okay? I've got this or did you think we're heading to a super over or something like that?
[Hayley Matthews]
I think throughout the entire chase it was pretty close. Look I think obviously it was one that went on to the final over. So you're never really sure if you kind of had it in the bag. But I think that as batters what we just try to do out there is continuously build partnerships. We knew once we could carry two or at least one set batter right down to the end. We will be in a really really good position And yeah, fortunately for me. I was able to be that set batter there at the end and ready to go.
[Reporter]
And just on yourself, I mean what does it feel like having to bear the responsibility of the team and you know with Stafanie out today? Is it quite burdensome or tiresome?
[Hayley Matthews]
Well, I think as captain I kind of expect to take, not only captain, but I think one of the more experienced batters as well. I expect to go out there and have to take on a certain role and hold the responsibility of the batting. And I think it's been my role now for the last couple of games we've played over the last month or two Yeah, I think today was probably just the day that I was able to execute it best.
[Reporter]
Thank you, and just curious when you're in the field and Ireland have that partnership for the second wicket and it looked like 150, 160 plus, obviously you'd been delighted to hold them to one 130. What, in that situation when they're doing well, what score do you have in your head? Is that's kind of the highest we can get?
[Hayley Matthews]
I think when they did have that big partnership and it was kind of going well for them. I think at the 10 over mark with the water break, we kind of pulled everyone together and pretty much said 'look a couple of wickets and we're right in it.' At that time, they're about 65 I think at the water break and we kind of said if we could restrict them to under 140, we knew we'd be in a pretty good position. But yeah, look we had some bowlers that came and bowled fantastically. Obviously Karishma Ramharack, she kind of held the team together where everything wasn't going well. So yeah, it is kudos to her.
[Reporter]
Ireland's consistently lost wickets in clusters after Gaby and Orla get out in this tournament, wow much did that factor into your thinking that you kind of 'look, do some hard work here and we'll cash in later on?'
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, it was definitely the conversation that we had throughout. Like I mentioned we literally said to each other take one or two wickets and things are gonna slow down drastically. So yeah We just kind of had to be patient. Try to bowl in our best areas at the two batters that were set. But at the same time understood that a couple of wickets and we would drastically slow things down.
[Reporter]
Do you think they went they went out their middle order, like it was seven for twenty they lost or something like that, do you think they just went too hard and they would be better off just knocking it around to try get 150, 160?
[Hayley Matthews]
I mean, I feel as though if we were in that position I would kind of. batters have a go and try to get the score up high. But I think, look it's cricket. Sometimes you falter in certain areas of your game and you don't exactly get what you want. But at the same time, look our bowlers came back in the end and bowled really, really well. Afy Fletcher came in with the ball. Karishma Ramharack, like I've mentioned, I'm right like I mentioned. Shamilia Connell, the way she was able to come back as well was really, really good to see. So well I think still, fair play to our bowlers in the way they were able to bowl in the end as well.
[Reporter]
Well when West Indies is on song, It gives great joy to the fans and everyone alike, and you suddenly today chase one of the top five chased run on the board in the World Cup. Now, it comes from a deep low, especially, you know, after the performance that you girls had in the previous matches, how do you come back it's like a stock exchange. One day it's down and second day it's finally shooting up as what you guys did today.
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, I think we just got to keep believing. I mentioned before that coming into the World Cup we knew England and India were going to be a challenge, but the discussions we would have had certainly yesterday and this morning where that these last two games are going to be a real test of where we are as as a team on the kind of cricket we're playing and though we kind of had to it was it was a tough day yesterday after the two losses and knowing that unless results really went our way we were probably able to the World Cup. But at the same time, we've still got a badge on our chest that we try to go out there and play for each and every game and look I think everyone saw the passion that we were able to play with today by the celebrations and just the way that we wanted it and the hunger that was shown.
[Reporter]
Second thing is about the fielding part. You did miss out on a couple of chances and also some half chances in the runouts. Do you guys look at it seriously as much as you do in the batting and bowling because you're very intense when you guys go on the nets?
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, sorry. Yeah, for sure. I think batting and bowling is important, but at the same time we know that fielding is a massive aspect of a cricket match. Bowlers don't get many wickets without catches if we're being honest. So yeah, it's definitely the air we've been looking at. We're feeling like we should be doing a bit better, but at the same time, we're working on it. We're putting in all the hard work around it and sometimes you get in a game situation and it doesn't go your way, but certainly an area we're focusing on and looking to improve every game.
[Reporter]
You have a few members of the under-19 side that stepped up. What is the dressing room like now after close victory in the Senior World Cup?
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, I think they bring a lot of energy and vibes to the group. It's so good to have the youngsters around and obviously as a team, we're going through a bit of a transitioning phase, but those young girls coming into something like a World Cup on the biggest stage and getting these opportunities, I think is not only good for us as a team in the dressing room, but great for them as well. Getting to experience tournaments like this and play against the best players in the world and hopefully it helps them to grow massively.
[Reporter]
And then just momentum that you take into the next game on Sunday.
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, we certainly needed it and like I mentioned, I think these two games for us now are probably the two most important for us to leave this World Cup with some pride and some respect. So yeah, definitely looking to tear this momentum into the next game and hopefully put on another good performance.
[Reporter]
Congratulations on today's victory. A few words on Chinelle Henry. I think she's shaping up as one of your most crucial players in your team. So what about her?
[Hayley Matthews]
We've always known that Chinelle has had immense skill and immense talent and she probably hasn't brought it out in the way she would have liked her, but there's no better stage to bring it out than on a World Cup and yeah, unfortunately that she was run out in the first two games, but I think today when she really was called to step up to the plate, she really was able to step up and actually remember out there batting, take the pressure off of me quite a bit with some of her boundaries that she was able to hit. So look, just great to have her with the bat. Obviously, she's quite useful with the ball as well. So just a really good batting all rounder for us that is hopefully successful for another couple of years.
[Reporter]
Hayley, I mean, you've gone 15 matches without a win. What did that feel like? Did you sort of wonder when is this ever going to end?
[Hayley Matthews]
Yeah, I mean, it was tough. Look, we obviously had a long run of games against opposition that were all ranked higher than us. We had eight games against England. We played them again in the World Cup. We had games against India. And during that entire time, we suffered so many injuries, I think three or four injuries every match, almost struggling for players in a sense. So yeah, I think, look, it was finally good to get that win on the board. And I know some might say we should have won against a team like Ireland, more convincingly not not taken away from them. But obviously, we've got to set our standards pretty high. But look, I think at least for us, it's just really about getting that first win on the board. And obviously in sports, once you get that first win, it sometimes gets a bit easier to get the second and the third. So yeah, fingers crossed that that's what happens for us.