The West Indies Women and Hayley Matthews delivered a commanding performance to win the first One-Day International against Zimbabwe by 99 runs at the Harare Sports Club in the Zimbabwe capital.
The West Indies won the toss and decided to bat.
Captain Matthews starred with the bat for the visiting women from the Caribbean, falling 18 runs shy of a double century.
Matthews, the Windies opener, was caught out in the final over after amassing 182 from 156 deliveries, including 26 fours and two sixes.
Matthews’ performance is the highest ever score by a West Indies woman batter in an ODI and the sixth highest score by a woman in ODI cricket.
Matthews was ably supported by Realanna Grimmond as the Windies set the hosts 299 for six.
Francisca Chipare with 2 for 57 was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
Chasing 300 to win, Zimbabwe lost wickets early and often, eventually being bowled out for 200 in the 43rd over.
Zimbabwe were four down by the 30 over mark.
Opener Modester Mupachikwa put up the biggest fight, striking 86 from 106 balls. The wicket-keeper batted the entire Zimbabwean innings, fittingly being the last wicket to fall as the Windies broke the home resistance.
Jannillea Glasgow, Ashmini Munisar and Afy Fletcher claimed two wickets apiece for the West Indies.
Game two will be played on Sunday at the same venue.
