Another stunning team effort ensured Ireland’s women cricketers completed a historic 3-0 clean sweep with a dramatic victory off the penultimate ball against Bangladesh in the third T20I of the three-match series.
Strong top-order batting, incisive bowling and an improved fielding display gave Ireland arguably their finest series victory, just weeks after they tied T20 series with superpowers England and Sri Lanka.
To whitewash any side at home, let alone in Asian conditions after a 3-0 hammering in the ODI series that preceded it, ranks among the finest performances by any Ireland side.
Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane
It is a feather in the cap for coach Ed Joyce who changed captains before the tour, and has seen Gaby Lewis grow into the role. And it is also a testament to the ousted captain, Laura Delany, without whom yesterday’s win would not have happened.
After Lewis called correctly at the toss for the fifth time in a row, Bangladesh were asked to bat first.
The home side immediately went on the attack, with the openers scoring 33 from the first 25 balls. However, an Orla Prendergast slower ball induced a false stroke by Murshida Khatun (12), who could only pop the ball up on the leg side.
Prendergast reacted quickly in her follow-through and dived forward, with the third umpire adjudging she had held the ball millimetres above the turf.
At halfway, Bangladesh were rocking along at a healthy 7.90 runs per over, on track for a 170+ score. Ireland’s bowlers, though, had other ideas. Aimee Maguire (2-25) began the fightback, with a career-best 4-22 by Prendergast slamming the brakes on the Bangladesh scoring rate to finish on just 123-7 from their 20 overs.
Prendergast finished the threematch series with 10 wickets, with returns of 3-24, 3-13 and 4-22. She is only the second Irish bowler to take 10 in a series, after Arlene Kelly, underscoring her increasing effectiveness with the ball in this format.
Chasing 124, Amy Hunter (28) and Lewis (20) sprang into action, taking 47 off the powerplay with their 50-partnership coming off just 39 balls.
Shortly after, however, both were back in the pavilion as the Bangladesh bowlers sensed a way back into the contest.
Their spinners tightened the screw and the Irish run rate dropped dramatically – wickets tumbled and the boundaries dried up as the modest target began to look more challenging than initially thought.
However, with 15 needed from the last over, and 12 off four balls, up stepped Delany.
The Leinster veteran had hit just one four off her previous 28 balls, but saved the best until last and struck the ball to the ropes off each of the next three deliveries to get Ireland home with one ball to spare.
The result gives Ireland a fillip ahead of a busy January, when the side travels to play a series in India, and the younger members of the squad take part in the Under 19 World Cup.