Hayley Matthews to Miss the Final ODI Against England Due to Shoulder Injury

West Indian star all-rounder and skipper Hayley Matthews has been ruled out of the 3rd and final ODI against England. She missed the second ODI as well after suffering a shoulder injury while fielding in the first match. With England already 2-0 up, Matthews’ all-round abilities and leadership will be dearly missed by the West Indian side.

Matthews has been brilliant for her side on the England tour, performing with both bat and ball. She won the Player of the Series award in the T20 series despite her team ending on the losing side every time. She was equally impressive in the first ODI, scoring 48. She watched the second ODI from the sidelines as West Indies lost the match by a massive 143 runs.

Matthews will miss the game as a precautionary measure after a private visit to a specialist in London on Thursday. With the series already lost and a home series against South Africa coming up, Matthews was advised to sit out the third ODI to avoid further risk to the injury. The first ODI of the South Africa series will be played next Wednesday in Barbados.

Shane Deitz, West Indies head coach, spoke about Matthews' injury and the impact she has on the team.
"It's unfortunate Hayley's picked up an injury and she won't be available for the last ODI here in England," Deitz said. "She's played a lot of cricket over the past few years, and obviously, injuries are part of being an elite-level athlete in all sports.

"We will miss her greatly on and off the field, but there's a great opportunity for other players to step up as Realeanna Grimmond did in the second ODI. She stepped up in Hayley's role and played a great innings, so it's a great opportunity for others to fill the void that Hayley leaves — with the bat, ball, and leadership on the field.

"The medical team are looking at options now for what's best for her long-term future, to get her body 100 percent right and continue her fantastic career."