Matthews returns from ban
CRICKET WEST Indies (CWI) says Hayley Matthews will return to the Windies Women side for the third One-Day International (ODI) against India on Wednesday next week after completing an eight-match ban.
The 21-year-old was a surprise omission from the squad for the first two ODIs of the three-match series announced last Saturday, but CWI said yesterday that she would sit out the fixtures that would mark the last of her ban.
Matthews was suddenly pulled from the side on the eve of the start of the Australia series last month for what CWI described as a breach of its Code of Conduct.
The board also said the matter would have been referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal, but up until yesterday, there had been no word on the outcome of the hearing.
“Cricket West Indies have confirmed that Hayley Matthews will be eligible for selection from the third Colonial Medical Insurance One-Day International against India,” the CWI statement said.
“This follows her withdrawal from the previous series against Australia due to a breach of CWI’s Code of Conduct.”
The six-member Disciplinary Tribunal is chaired by Justice Winston Anderson and also includes former Test players Jeff Dujon and Carlisle Best.
A virtual fixture in the squad since her debut as a 16-year-old against New Zealand five years ago, Matthews’ return will be a welcome boost to the Windies Women, who suffered a whitewash to Australia in both white-ball formats recently.
The Windies take on India in the first ODI of the three-match series on Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua.