Hayley Matthews and Realeanna Grimmond‘s record-breaking 258-run opening stand helped West Indies complete their highest successful ODI run chase and steamroll Ireland in Bready. It was also the highest partnership for any wicket for West Indies in ODIs.

Matthews had a dream outing taking 3 for 52 to bowl Ireland out for 269 and scoring an unbeaten 159. Grimmond (91) scored her second ODI fifty in her sixth game and Afy Fletcher took 4 for 49 which was key in restricting the hosts after Amy Hunter‘s 96 had taken them to a position of strength.

West Indies’ chase took off with six fours across the fourth and fifth overs. Matthews and Grimmond hit 13 fours between them by the end of the 72-run opening powerplay. Matthews was dropped by Jane Maguire on 52 in the 12th over which went on to be a pivotal moment.

The boundaries and extras piled on as West Indies reached hundred in 14 overs. A sequence of quiet overs was ended by Matthews hitting Cara Murray for four fours across the 18th and 20th overs. Bowling changes didn’t affect the duo as the team 150 came up in the 23rd over.

Matthews brought up a 90-ball hundred in the 28th over and went into six-hitting mode to bring up West Indies’ 200 in the 30th. Grimmond joined Matthews with the boundaries. After being dropped on 84, she fell on 91 with West Indies needing 12 to win, which ended up being the only blip in their innings.

Ireland’s batting was pretty good too. They had five 30-plus partnerships and were on top for over two-third of the innings.

Gaby Lewis set the platform with three boundaries in the two double-digit overs in the first powerplay. After being the aggressor in the 38-run opening partnership with Sarah Forbes, who was run out, Lewis added 39 more with Hunter.

Hunter and Orla Prendergast put on 69 runs, the biggest partnership of the innings, after Lewis fell to Matthews. Hunter brought up fifty off 58 balls in the 26th over, and runs flowed despite Fletcher knocking over Prendergast for 30.

Ireland’s run rate rose to 5.71 after 38 overs as Hunter made 25 off 18 in a 50-run partnership with Rebecca Stokell. But they lost four wickets between overs 34 and 40 which derailed their momentum. Fletcher and Matthews took two each, the most crucial of which was of Hunter’s, the ball after Jannillea Glasgow dropped her on 90.