Taylor, Matthews in doubt for critical Ireland clash

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CMC):

Fitness doubts over their two marquee batsmen have left West Indies sweating ahead of today’s crucial ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup clash against Ireland.

Both captain Hayley Matthews and her predecessor Stafanie Taylor were forced off the field during Wednesday’s six-wicket defeat to India at Newlands, and find themselves in a race against time to recover.

And while head coach Courtney Walsh remained positive about a possible return for Matthews, he said Taylor was still being “evaluated” but was less definitive about a timeline for her recovery.

“[Taylor] is still on the medical tier. She’s been rested, evaluated still, but the most important thing is to make sure that the athlete is okay,” Walsh told a media conference here Thursday.

“So we’re taking every precaution that is necessary to ensure that her health comes first and then once we get the updates on that, we can sort of look to progress.

“But at this point in time, we’re just doing everything to make sure that the athlete is okay. She’s well rested … but her health comes first, so we’re going to make sure that she’s okay.”

Taylor, 31, only returned last week from a five-month injury layoff, and top-scored for West Indies with 42 against India.

She is the Caribbean side’s most experienced batsman and her absence in a must-win game will be a huge blow.

Matthews, meanwhile, has led the batting in Taylor’s absence and Walsh said there was “good news” surrounding her possible participation against Ireland.

“She came off the field and was a very major concern for us, but the good news this morning is that she has rested well and the next 24 hours you will know,” Walsh explained.

“But she’s a lot more positive than the others so it’s a good sign. She’s a fighter, she’s tough … we’ve got some good fighters in the set-up, but Hayley’s one and she knows her body well and she will struggle a little bit.

“[She] did the right thing by coming [off] and I think that she’ll be okay.”

West Indies lost their opener to England last weekend and their subsequent defeat to India saw them slump to fourth in Group Two, leaving them with must-win games against Ireland and Pakistan in order to keep alive their final four hopes.

Unbeaten England and India lead the group with four points with Pakistan third on two points, and winless Ireland bottom on net run rate.