The Analysis: Hayley Matthews shows poise as Sarah Taylor proves she is human

A look at the key talking points from Welsh Fire's comfortable win over Manchester Originals at Sophia Gardens

Scorecard

Rusty Taylor

Sarah Taylor scored three out of four in the pre-match Hundred quiz, but it would be fair to say it didn't get much better for the Welsh Fire keeper.

It is a testament to the impact she made during her England career that despite being in among a handful of current international stars she is one of the big-ticket items in the competition.

Her comeback with Sussex, Northern Diamonds and in the Hundred has been one of the heartening cricketing tales of the year.

What has been most telling is how Taylor has slotted straight back into the rigours of the sport. The 2019 KSL final was her last outing before this summer.

Taylor's batting form hasn't yet returned but behind the stumps, she has been razor-sharp. Back to her best you might say.

Though it would be fair to observe that on a slow, sometimes low Cardiff pitch the 32-year-old wasn't completely at the races.

Three balls in she kept her cool to run out Lizelle Lee to set Fire on their way.

She should have stumped Georgie Boyce when Harvey beat the bat, but the ball just clattered into Taylor and rolled onto the stumps.

She then missed the chance to get rid of danger batter Mignon du Preez, who lost her balance following a leg-side delivery, but spilt the ball.

It says plenty about the standard Taylor has set that these minor errors can be classed as being totally out of character.

And following more than 20 months out of the sport - this is just her seventh game back since retirement - it is more than understandable.

Curious Kaur

Welsh Fire bowled 38 dot balls during the Manchester Originals innings, a remarkable number in this form of the game.

Harmanpreet Kaur soaked up a dozen of them before departing for 26 from 32 balls.

It was a very curious knock from the India batter, whose form is firmly heading in one direction.

Her best innings came in the tournament opener against Oval Invincibles, striking the ball with class on a good pitch.

Though she contributed an unbeaten 49 against Birmingham Phoenix, it was anything but a fluid performance.

There was something slightly wasteful about the 32-year-old's batting display in south Wales.

The match situation seemed to be irrelevant as she knocked the ball around calmly and without much intent. It was the equivalent of a playmaker standing back and watching their own pass.

There was some relief when she eventually departed, allowing the Originals lower order to take command. Du Preez and Sophie Ecclestone helped hit 40 from the final 25 balls to set a respectable target, though one which Fire made short work of.

Sophia Ecclestone v Hayley Matthews: the key matchup

This clash was the epicentre of the contest and in one way and another it decided the outcome.

Sophie Ecclestone was bowled out in the opening 70 deliveries and was wicket-less for 14 runs.

Matthews paced her innings perfectly. She fended off the threatening England spinner on a surface with few demons and took apart the remainder of the attack.

The West Indies allrounder only face 10 deliveries from the left-arm spinner and scored three runs off the bat.

But the way she combined that with attacking Emma Lamb and Laura Jackson, who she deposited over the extra cover boundary with the shot of the game, decided the contest.

And in the end, with Matthews able to keep Ecclestone at an arm's length as the latter searched for wickets, it laid the platform for a simple chase.

Watching Matthews bat was a joy. While a cricket traditionalist might not like the camera inserted into her helmet, it gave us an insight into her success.

Central to that was a simple technique. She didn't overcomplicate her trigger movements before the delivery and went after anything loose. Any youngster watching who dances across the crease would be well-advised to watch this knock back and observe her poise.

😱 CAUGHT OFF A NO-BALL! 😱

Du Preez's excellent diving grab does not count with Jackson bowling a full toss above waist height #TheHundred 💯

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— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 31, 2021

Catch of the match?

Mignon du Preez produced an absolute cracker to catch Georgia Redmayne at a deep point position in the Welsh Fire chase.

Running around, the South African went two-handed and held on with her right.

In normal circumstances, it would be the grab of the tournament.

But thanks to the no-ball from Jackson, with the ball delivered above hip height, it will end up on the cutting room floor.