Orla Prendergast. (Photo Source: Press Eye)
Ireland Women succumbed to a hard-fought, four-wicket loss at the hands of England Women in Belfast.
The match kicked off England Women’s first tour of Ireland in almost 30 years and was the first of three ODIs and two T20Is between the two sides. With the sun shining brightly at Stormont, stand-in captain Gaby Lewis called right at the toss and elected to bat but both the skipper and her fellow opener Una Raymond-Hoey fell early to leave the hosts 21-2 inside the first six overs.
A 53-run partnership between Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast started the repair job before the former fell for 37.
Prendergast then combined superbly with Leah Paul (33) in a 77-run stand for the fourth wicket which continued moving Ireland in the right direction as Prendergast made a third ODI half century. She eventually fell for an excellent 76 from 87 deliveries, a knock that included eight fours and one six. The efforts of Prendergast helped Ireland Women post their highest-ever total against England in ODIs as Ed Joyce’s team closed out their innings on 210.
England captain Kate Cross took two wickets in two balls to end Ireland’s innings, finishing with career-best figures of 6-30.
Prendergast picked up with the ball where she left off with the bat, first removing Emma Lamb with a razor-sharp catch off her own bowling before bowling Tammy Beaumont with a devilish inswinger.
The tourists fought back through Paige Scholfield (31) and Hollie Armitage (44) but fell in quick succession to the spin of Aimee Maguire and Freya Sargent, respectively.
When Arlene Kelly then dismissed Freya Kemp for 26 and then Prendergast and Hunter combined to run-out Mady Villiers (13), England were 156-6 and the result very much in the balance.
Unfortunately for Ireland, they were unable to secure what would have been an historic win as England claimed glory with 91 deliveries to spare. The two teams meet again at the same venue on Monday.
MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland Women v England Women, 1st ODI, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland — 7 September 2024
Ireland 210 (46.5 overs; O Prendergast 76, A Hunter 37, L Paul 33; K Cross 6-30)
England 211-6 (34.5 overs; H Armitage 44, K Cross 38*, P Scholfield 31; O Prendergast 2-27, F Sargent 1-40)
England won by four wickets