By Priscilla Jepchumba
It was a close finish to a one-day international cricket series between Ireland’s women and England’s women in Belfast. Ultimately, to complement a fine hat-trick from Mady Villiers’s bowling, Alana Dalzell kept her team’s nerve to turn the last ball into the fourth to clinch the side’s first victory over England since 2001.
Packed by a bad light, which was a verdict that came in the nick of time and combined with a dreadful misfield by Hollie Armitage at long on that made a mere boundary cheaper.
Prior to that, Ireland was coasting to an unbroken 118-run victory from 50 overs, but a last 22-ball collapse of 5 wickets for 13 runs, which included a 3-3 ball dismissal of Alice Tector and Jane Maguire and the run-out of Una Raymond-Hoey while trying to take a second run.
Still, Ireland deserved a win after the performances of Aimee Maguire, who got five wickets within two days before her 18th birthday, and Gaby Lewis, who scored 72 runs from 56 and was batting at 137 for 3 before she produced a nervous overthrow that made her team feel the pressure.
The play was interrupted by rain for four and a half hours. When play resumed, there was enough light for a 25-over-a-side affair, which was later cut to 22 overs per side because of more rain in the early part of the English innings.
In fact, as it was to happen, Ireland only required 20. 5 overs to get rid of England for 153, and Maguire—the left-arm spinner—to match his career-best, taking 5 for 19 of 3. 5 overs.
England had rather easily sealed the win in the first two games, and their senior players Cross, who took 6 for 30, and Beaumont, who struck an unbeaten 150, stood out.
In the recent game against Sussex, Beaumont stood out with the bat, scoring 52 runs from 42 balls. However, the rest of the team didn’t provide much support, allowing Maguire to take advantage of the situation.
Maguire made a crucial breakthrough when she caught out Beaumont at deep midwicket. Following that, her sister took some wickets with a strong spell, turning the game in favor of Surrey. Several other players from the opposing team got out, and England found itself in a tough position at 118 for 7.
Macdonald-Gay managed to score 17 runs off 13 balls, including a six and a four, before getting out to Prendergast. Aimee Maguire’s amazing spell continued as she dismissed Mady Villiers and Lauren Filer in just five legal balls.
Ireland then dominated in the powerplay with five boundaries, setting themselves up for a winning start. Lewis played a dominating innings, reaching fifty from 41 balls and leading her team to total domination in the latter part of the game.