West Indies captain Hayley Matthews short-listed for ICC award

LONDON: West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been short-listed for the International Cricket Council’s Women’s Twenty20 International Cricketer-of-the-Year award.

The free-scoring 25 year old joins Sri Lankan all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu, England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone and outstanding Australian fast bowling all-rounder Ellyse Perry, as the players up for the honour.

Matthews proved one of the most dominant all-rounders in the shortest format this year, scoring 700 runs from 14 innings while averaging 63 with the bat and snaring 19 wickets.

The stylish right-hander headlined her side’s three-match series against Australia last October, plundering 310 runs at an average of 155. She smashed a career-best 132 from 64 balls as West Indies chased down a record 213 in North Sydney.

She also topped her side bowling with five wickets at 17 runs apiece.

Matthews, who made her international debut as a teenager, was appointed captain last year June, replacing veteran Stafanie Taylor.

Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Athapaththu averaged 31 with the bat and picked up eight wickets from 16 matches while Ecclestone, 24, finished the calendar year with 23 wickets at an average of ten.

The 33-year-old Perry, a two-time former winner of the ICC Women’s Cricketer-of-the-Year honour, averaged 45 with the bat from 14 outings while picking up six wickets at nine runs apiece.

The winner of the award will be announced later this month.