Leicester. Thanks to a brilliant century by opener Maya Bouchier, England completed their biggest successful run chase in ODI cricket against Ireland.
On Tuesday local time, England achieved the target of 282 runs by scoring 283 runs losing four wickets in just 38.1 overs and won the match by six wickets.
Batting first, Ireland scored 281 runs for 5 wickets in 50 overs. In reply, Bouchier batted aggressively and played a brilliant inning of 104 runs on 95 balls. His innings included 11 fours.
Bouchier made an important partnership of 143 runs in 118 balls for the second wicket with Sophia Dunkley. Dunkley scored 73 runs on 61 balls. Both of them put England in a strong position from the beginning.
Dunkley completed his half-century in 40 balls, while Bouchier reached his fifty in 53 balls. Due to the fast batting of both, England had scored 72 runs in 10 overs without losing any wicket.
Ireland’s Cara Murray broke this partnership by dismissing Dunkley in the 20th over. After this, he also sent Jody Greycock to the pavilion in the next over. However, Bouchier and Ellis Capsey made a 50-run partnership to ease England’s path to victory.
Bouchier completed his century in 91 balls in the 31st over, but was dismissed by Murray in the very next over. After this, Freya Kemp completely ended Ireland’s hopes by playing a quick inning of 36 runs in 22 balls. Capsey scored unbeaten 41 runs and hit four fours to take England to the record target.
Ireland’s strong start
Earlier, Ireland made a strong score on the basis of excellent batting by Gabby Lewis and Amy Hunter. Both of them made a partnership of 136 runs in 152 balls for the second wicket. Lewis scored 69 and Hunter scored 62.
After the 30th over, Ireland had lost three wickets in 7.1 overs and there was doubt even if their score would reach around 250 runs. But Lia Paul and Rebecca Stokell took over the innings with a partnership of 84 runs in 71 balls. Stokal remained unbeaten after scoring 54 runs.
Ireland set a challenging target of 282 runs for England by adding 77 runs in the last 10 overs, but this score also proved to be small in front of Bouchier’s stormy innings.
Brief Score:
Ireland: 281/5 (50 overs) — Gabby Lewis 69, Amy Hunter 62, Rebecca Stokes 54 not out; Charlie Dean 2/44, Issie Wong 2/57.
England: 283/4 (38.1 overs) — Maya Bouchier 104, Sophia Dunkley 73, Elise Capsey 41 not out; Cara Murray 3/58.
Result: England won by six wickets.