Ireland v England – Third ODI
Let’s put a few building-blocks in place first.
Ireland were reappearing after a disastrous performance two days earlier, 45 all out. England were 2-0 up.
A few changes: Davis and Wong out for England; Macdonald-Gay and Baker in. For Ireland Alana Dalzell replaced Arlene Kelly.
The weather was a revolving door, rain, sun, rain, sun. Pitch inspections delayed the start, till a 25- over game was decreed. That later reduced to 22 each, with adjusted regulations for bowlers and powerplays.
Kate Cross decided to bat first. That proved debatable as the constant breaks in play hindered the batters. They had to adopt a new mind-set with each interruption.
The match came to one of the most dramatic finishes I can remember, and there have been plenty.
How the day went
England were again indebted to Tammy Beaumont for providing the bulk of the runs (52/42). Emma Lamb tried to run herself out for a second time, but failed. She hit the ball hard straight to extra and set off. Why? Neither batter looked comfortable in the conditions (proof, lots of gardening). Beaumont finally hit two fours in the third over with a fierce square-cut and a pull to mid-wicket.
Lamb decided to go all out; she hit two fours, but Jane McGuire held a stunner at extra to dismiss her for 11. Another unfulfilled outing for the Lancastrian, and a deserved wicket for Dalzell.
Beaumont indulged in a scoop to reach her fifty (off 39) and send another missive to Jon Lewis. It was her fastest ever – thanks to the inexhaustible hypocaust. At 99-2 she decided the other batters deserved a look-in and swung to Leah Paul at cow corner. How could we know this was misplaced self-effacement?
A nudge from Freya Kemp brought up the 100 in 13 overs.
Prendergast couldn’t hold a big heave by Paige Scholfield, but the moment Aimee Maguire came on, she tempted Kemp down the track and had her reward. 107-4.
Now the game swung alarmingly. Scholfield edged to give the younger Maguire two in the over. Heath skied a sweep from Sargent and England were on the Cresta Run, 114-6. Next captain Cross chopped on – 118-7. England’s one consolation was their scoring-rate, still over 7.
The Irish were answering their ignorant social media critics of the last two days, who wondered why the series was being played at all. Maguire had Cross-like figures of 3-9 off 2. The skies darkened in sympathy.
Ryana Macdonald-Gay hit Dalzell for a lovely mid-off four, the next ball produced five wides as the rain teemed down. RMG hit another four to show how unfair cricket can be. Dalzell managed a smile after conceding 36 off two overs in the foulest conditions. Well done, her.
It was to be a memorable day for Aimee Maguire. After that prized first-ball wicket, she went on to take a first ever 5-fer (3.5-0-19-5). Her final scalp was Lauren Filer, whom she clean-bowled to yelps of delight from her whole team.
It hadn’t been easy for the English, as Atlantic weather played havoc. The effect was to produce another modest performance. Only Beaumont built a decent score; next best 21 by Scholfield. In retrospect Beaumont’s apparent decision to let the others have a bat can be seen as unwise. Even a scoring-rate of 7.34 turned out to be inadequate.
The Reply
153 seemed a daunting total, especially if the weather were to worsen again. And it was September, with the evenings drawing in.
But now Gaby Lewis demonstrated her batting ability. Amy Hunter kept her company as the 50 was reached in six overs. Cross proved very expensive (3-0-31-0) and Filer had to wait till the nineteenth over to remove Lewis (72), then Paul (22).
Ireland had wickets in hand, but the overs were running out. In the 22nd and last, eight were needed with six wickets left.
Cross denied herself the pleasure of bowling it, instead turning to Mady Villiers. This proved to be an inspired decision.
The first two balls went for three runs, but Una Raymond-Hoey ran herself out recklessly off the next. Villiers then clean bowled Alice Tector and the elder Maguire in successive balls! Three wickets in three balls!
Still four runs needed off one ball. In strode Dalzell, the new recruit to the series. Villiers tossed the ball up on line, Dalzell took the bait and drove straight and hard. Armitage ran left from long-on to field it, but overran. Gasps of disbelief! The ball plopped over the boundary. Ireland had won!
Scores
England 153 (20.5 out of 22 overs) Ireland 155-7 (22 overs)
Ireland win by 3 wickets (DLS method) Player of the match: Aimee Maguire
Teams
Ireland
Raymond-Hoey, Lewis (captain), Hunter (w-k), Prendergast, Paul, Stokell, Tector, Dalzell, J. Maguire, Sargent, A. Maguire
England
Beaumont, Lamb, Armitage, Scholfield, Kemp, Heath (w-k), Villiers, Cross (captain), Macdonald- Gay, Filer, Baker
Afterthoughts
It rained gently as the toss took place, then it took charge.
It was comforting to see a wide range of drying equipment available. At the 2.45 inspection no fewer then seventeen people assembled around the square, another good sign, but the only crucial ones were the two umpires, the referee and the head groundsman.
Suddenly all departed to left and right, bar the three bearing the biggest responsibility. Slowly the tarpaulins were dragged off. Could play start before the Atlantic offered its next bucket-load? Yes!
This match proved what an extraordinary game cricket can be. After an engulfing defeat the Irish recovered bravely to turn the tables. There have been last-ball victories before, but few as dramatic as this.
Many thanks to Cricket Ireland for their coverage. Commentary and cameras did a fine job. We can now look forward to two T20s. Perhaps they will prove boring, who knows?
